1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in insurrections
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 outbreaks
That monitoring period was set because symptoms of hantavirus have taken as long as 42 days to appear in previous outbreaks.
—
Josh Funk,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
Other factors, including the early stages of hurricane season and periodic Saharan dust outbreaks, can also influence conditions, but are less consistent drivers at this range.
—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Some outbreaks still cropped up in the US after that – the largest in 1972, when Texas alone had 90,000 cases – but experts say the effort was beyond successful.
—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
Utah has spent the past year fighting measles outbreaks — a grim milestone that could affect whether the United States can keep its measles-free designation.
—
Devi Shastri,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
Canada lost its status last year after ongoing outbreaks.
—
Devi Shastri,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
The more common Zaire virus, which now has a vaccine, was responsible for most of Congo’s past 16 outbreaks of the disease.
—
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Most Ebola countermeasure work has focused on the Ebola virus, which has caused larger outbreaks than Bundibugyo and was also treated as a potential biological warfare threat.
—
Paul Adepoju,
Scientific American,
14 June 2026
Three more lots of moringa supplement have been recalled, the lots linked to one of the two ongoing salmonella outbreaks being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2026
Josh Funk,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
Other factors, including the early stages of hurricane season and periodic Saharan dust outbreaks, can also influence conditions, but are less consistent drivers at this range.
—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Some outbreaks still cropped up in the US after that – the largest in 1972, when Texas alone had 90,000 cases – but experts say the effort was beyond successful.
—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
Utah has spent the past year fighting measles outbreaks — a grim milestone that could affect whether the United States can keep its measles-free designation.
—
Devi Shastri,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
Canada lost its status last year after ongoing outbreaks.
—
Devi Shastri,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
The more common Zaire virus, which now has a vaccine, was responsible for most of Congo’s past 16 outbreaks of the disease.
—
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Most Ebola countermeasure work has focused on the Ebola virus, which has caused larger outbreaks than Bundibugyo and was also treated as a potential biological warfare threat.
—
Paul Adepoju,
Scientific American,
14 June 2026
Three more lots of moringa supplement have been recalled, the lots linked to one of the two ongoing salmonella outbreaks being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreaks
Noun
-
Even then, there are flurries of intense activity.
-
The players rotated quickly, setting flurries of picks and cutting, creating space by driving to the basket, stretching the defense to the point of breaking, and then flinging the ball to the open man in the corner.
Noun
-
There were rebellions, insurrections and an Appian Way lined with crucifixions.
-
But the regime, besieged by insurrections across the country, abandoned Manbij.
Noun
-
Focaccia bursts with the flavors of a Chicago hot dog.
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The presence of this ultraviolet light, and the star-forming history of the cluster producing it, suggests that bursts of star formation contributed to waves of ionizing radiation that gradually cleared out the opaque neutral hydrogen.
Noun
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Starmer also has angered supporters with attempts to cut welfare spending, some of which were reversed after Labour revolts.
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Then came revolts and revolutions in Ireland, the Swiss cantons, the Rhineland, the Netherlands, the Italian states, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Noun
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There have been intermittent outbursts of violence against immigrants since then.
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Police said Poirier continued making verbal outbursts and took an aggressive stance toward officers.
Noun
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In the late sixteenth century, the Spanish Hapsburgs, the Catholic dynasty that ruled the Netherlands, sent in an army to crush a series of Calvinist uprisings.
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While Spielberg thinks such an event would bring the world together, Koepp believes there could be mass uprisings against scientists, government officials or even religious leaders who kept this information hidden.
Noun
-
Most Southern states soon followed with anti-literacy laws of their own between 1740 and 1834, in the hopes of preventing any further slave rebellions.
-
Rhaenyra is suddenly dealing with internal criticism, possible rebellions, subjects spray-painting nasty stuff on the walls and self-doubt.
Noun
-
That mobility occasionally allowed for communication and coordination during mutinies.
-
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.
Cite this Entry
“Outbreaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreaks. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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