OUTBREAKS Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

outbreaks

noun

plural of outbreak

as in flurries

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in insurrections

open fighting against authority (as one's own government) the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of outbreaks The outbreak, which was declared underway only two months ago, is the third largest on record and has grown at a faster rate than previous outbreaks. — Helen Branswell, STAT, 16 July 2026 Because of that commonality and because produce has been behind some past cyclospora outbreaks, Michigan officials advised consumers to buy whole heads of lettuce, discard the outer layers and thoroughly wash what is left. — Mike Stobbe, Fortune, 15 July 2026 Bagged salad mixes and kits, raspberries, fresh basil, green onions and snow peas have all been linked to previous outbreaks, health officials say. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026 Raspberries, basil, salad mixes — like vegetable trays and coleslaw — cilantro, berry and fruit mixes, lettuce and snap peas have all been linked to outbreaks in the past. — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 15 July 2026 But, cucumbers seem to be a safer option than lettuce for now, both since they can be peeled and haven't been linked to past outbreaks. — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 15 July 2026 At this time, there aren’t any local outbreaks in California, and current cases of cyclosporiasis infection are not linked to the multi-state outbreak, according to the California Department of Public Health. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026 The agency has also delivered six metric tons of emergency medical supplies from its regional emergency reserve in Panama while helping Venezuelan authorities sustain vaccination campaigns aimed at preventing disease outbreaks. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026 Previous outbreaks have involved raspberries, bagged lettuce or salads, cilantro and basil. — Erika Edwards, NBC news, 7 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreaks

Noun

The past 14 years have included some flurries of diplomatic contact between Iran and the West.

— Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
There is even a remote possibility for a few flurries in the highest peaks of the Sierra on Saturday and Sunday nights with temps briefly below freezing.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026

Definition of flurries

Noun

Under rural Spanish skies, particularly in dark-sky regions away from towns and cities, observers could see 30 to 50 meteors per hour, with occasional bursts producing even more.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 14 July 2026
When the aorta bursts, blood rushes through the tear, which often leads to sudden death.

— Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 13 July 2026

Definition of bursts

Noun

Starmer also has angered supporters with attempts to cut welfare spending, some of which were reversed after Labour revolts.

— CBS News, CBS News, 9 May 2026
Then came revolts and revolutions in Ireland, the Swiss cantons, the Rhineland, the Netherlands, the Italian states, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

— Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

Definition of revolts

Noun

His unpopular reign was marked by disastrous wars, food shortages, unemployment, uprisings, and, ultimately, revolutions—two, to be precise.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 July 2026
Secessionist uprisings in the provinces like Tatarstan or Bashkortistan or Chechnya.

— Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of uprisings

Noun

The narrative centers on the early careers and shifting dynamic between legendary figures Cao Cao and Yuan Shao as political corruption, peasant rebellions, and personal ambitions push the capital of Luoyang into absolute chaos.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 July 2026
That came after several tax rebellions broke out in the last decades of the 18th century.

— Lindsay Schakenbach Regele, The Conversation, 13 July 2026

Definition of rebellions

Noun

That mobility occasionally allowed for communication and coordination during mutinies.

— Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
This includes leader assassination attempts by political opponents or lone wolves or mutinies by disgruntled soldiers who might even march on the presidential palace to demand higher pay, promotions or other policy concessions.

— John Joseph Chin, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2025

Definition of mutinies

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“Outbreaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreaks. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of outbreaks

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