1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
there was an immediate outbreak of paper shuffling and a pretense of work when the supervisor passed through the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in revolt
open fighting against authority (as one's own government)
the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outbreak
That is far smaller than the 2025 outbreak that killed millions of commercial poultry.
—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
2 July 2026
The outbreak exacerbates existing vulnerabilities like conflict, malnutrition, and low vaccination rates, while fear deters routine healthcare.
—
Maryanne Murray Buechner,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
The current situation is far smaller than the 2025 outbreak that wiped out millions of commercial birds and sent egg prices soaring, but bird flu is still spreading in flocks across the country, and small backyard operations are not immune.
—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2026
The pullback has had implications for the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, aid workers say.
—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
2 July 2026
The outbreak exacerbates existing vulnerabilities like conflict, malnutrition, and low vaccination rates, while fear deters routine healthcare.
—
Maryanne Murray Buechner,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
The current situation is far smaller than the 2025 outbreak that wiped out millions of commercial birds and sent egg prices soaring, but bird flu is still spreading in flocks across the country, and small backyard operations are not immune.
—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2026
The pullback has had implications for the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, aid workers say.
—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
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June was a frenetic month for the metro Atlanta restaurant scene, driven in part by a flurry of downtown openings timed to the beginning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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Trump took in tens of millions of dollars in fees from a flurry of new hotel, resort and condo deals overseas that amounts to the biggest property expansion ever in the century since the family business was founded.
Noun
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The Declaration of Independence, often perceived as a tax revolt, explicitly mentions taxes only once among its 27 grievances, dedicating just eight words to the issue.
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Soon, this kind of spirit will carry the 13 colonies to protest, revolt and win the American Revolution.
Noun
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San Francisco real estate agent Butch Haze of Compass has seen tech booms followed by ravenous bursts of homebuying since the first internet gold rush of the late 1990s.
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True to its name, Swift is designed to pivot quickly to capture late-breaking astronomical events such as gamma ray bursts and exploding stars.
Noun
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Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi led the insurrection after weeks of widespread national protests.
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Penn, known for his strong political convictions, previously attended a public hearing of the House select committee investigating the deadly 2021 insurrection.
Noun
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Bryson Stott's three-run homer highlighted Philadelphia's eight-run outburst in the ninth inning and the Phillies rallied to beat the Washington Nationals 14-9 on Tuesday night.
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The symptoms often look different in dads—anger or sudden outbursts, irritability and substance misuse, for example.
Noun
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An uprising that left inmates in control of a detention center has ended with some people injured, North Carolina officials say.
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Secessionist uprisings in the provinces like Tatarstan or Bashkortistan or Chechnya.
Noun
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The seeds of mutiny are detectable.
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Within six months, Richards’ side of the group staged a mutiny, locked Diekmann in his apartment, and forced him to relinquish control.
Noun
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The Battle of the Alamo was one of the most monumental conflicts of the Texas Revolution, a rebellion that ended in Texas becoming independent from Mexico and establishing itself as a republic for nearly a decade before US statehood.
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In the press release for the album, you were quoted using the word rebellion when talking about rock and roll.
Cite this Entry
“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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