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
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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
Canada can re-establish its measles elimination status once transmission of the virus strain associated with the current outbreak is interrupted for at least 12 months, the Public Health Agency of Canada said on its website.
—
Nadia Kounang, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
Canada has lost its measles elimination status after struggling to contain a year-long outbreak, the country's public health agency announced on Monday.
—ABC News, 10 Nov. 2025
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alongside various state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of infant botulism, possibly related to ByHeart baby formula.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 10 Nov. 2025
Health officials are currently investigating other ongoing outbreaks in South Carolina and Utah.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Nadia Kounang, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
Canada has lost its measles elimination status after struggling to contain a year-long outbreak, the country's public health agency announced on Monday.
—ABC News, 10 Nov. 2025
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alongside various state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of infant botulism, possibly related to ByHeart baby formula.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 10 Nov. 2025
Health officials are currently investigating other ongoing outbreaks in South Carolina and Utah.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
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The 50-year mortgage proposal came amid a flurry of posts from Pulte, a member of one of America’s most prominent homebuilding families, who was fresh off a Friday appearance at ResiDay, a residential real estate conference hosted by ResiClub.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
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Prospect Avenue was renamed Hollywood Boulevard, and a flurry of tony hotels, palatial theaters and glitzy boutiques opened along the stretch between Vine Street and Highland Avenue.—
Oren Peleg,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Critiques from the American right, which lament the film’s timely depictions of a police state, immigrant internment camps and leftist revolt, read like ChatGPT essays programmed to write in the voice of Karen.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
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The film, which is Palestine’s entry for the Best International Feature category of the Oscars, tells the story of the Arab revolt against British colonial rule in Palestine in the 1930s.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Despite the generally mild outlook, meteorologists are watching key atmospheric factors that could create bursts of intense snow, like expected next week when an early-season lake-effect snow is expected to impact the Great Lakes.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Freep.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Comedian and actress Atsuko Okatsuka opened the ceremony with a burst of laughter and energy.—
Ryma Chikhoune,
Footwear News,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Federal law allows the president to use military force domestically only in cases of insurrection or when enforcement of federal laws becomes impossible through civilian agencies.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
During her time in Congress, Liz Cheney, a Republican, also voted to impeach Trump and led the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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These outbursts send radiation and charged particles hurling into space and can disrupt communications on Earth if the flare erupts from an Earth-facing sunspot.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
This outburst was mysterious at the time and remains mysterious.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Midterm elections will see congressional battlegrounds in states where fast-rising electric bills or data center hotspots — or both — are fomenting community uprisings.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
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Altogether more than 1,000 Israelis were killed in those uprisings, along with many times that number of Palestinians.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Half-time was looming, empty white seats were dotted around the London Stadium but if mutiny had been expected, it had been supplanted, (at least temporarily), by general bemusement.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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In 2023, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin staged a brief mutiny, sending his fighters toward Moscow before abruptly standing down only to die weeks later in a plane crash.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While details of Gatwa’s character are not yet known, Erivo’s Jayne is described as a trailblazing fairy whose defiant streak sparks a rebellion.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
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From its beginning, the leaders of the rebellion well understood the global reach and resonance of their great struggle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
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