1
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
the judge directed the courtroom spectators to refrain from any outbursts when the verdict was read
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
there was a remarkable outburst of work in the office as the visiting VIPs made their tour
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in eruption
the act or an instance of exploding
in the outburst known as a supernova, the star may reach an intrinsic luminosity one billion times that of the sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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 outburst
However, Robbie’s performance keeps Cathy’s childish nature intact with many obsessive outbursts.
—
Ellise Shafer, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Fried made sure to credit the Blue Jays, who advanced all the way to the World Series, for their offensive outburst.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
The unprofessional outburst hung in the dugout air as the Phillies finished a win without Castellanos.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
For his courtroom outbursts, Davis found Thompson in contempt of court and added a little more than four and a half years to his sentence.
—Monroe Trombly, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outburst
Ellise Shafer, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Fried made sure to credit the Blue Jays, who advanced all the way to the World Series, for their offensive outburst.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
The unprofessional outburst hung in the dugout air as the Phillies finished a win without Castellanos.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
For his courtroom outbursts, Davis found Thompson in contempt of court and added a little more than four and a half years to his sentence.
—Monroe Trombly, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outburst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outburst
Noun
-
In a news conference Friday, a spokesperson for the Pest County Police Headquarters said an explosion in one of the rooms likely caused the fire.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Some parents told the Tribune that pandemic-era growth seems to have set off a snowball effect, fueled by an explosion of online and at-home learning resources.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Her voice is intimate and resonant, whether cut up into indistinct background flurries or pushed to the front of the mix.—
Alex Robert Ross,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The idea has spawned a flurry of products which are helping their customers resist the temptation of automatically picking up their phone and scrolling social media during any and every lull in the day.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Braedon Tobin lit the lamp four times in an offensive eruption, powering Sandwich in a 7-3 win over Dennis-Yarmouth in the Jeff Hayes Memorial Tournament.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
-
That includes a 26-point eruption in which Alvarado made eight 3-pointers in Philadelphia.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There has been some speculation that Lagrange’s future could be as a reliever, which would let his electric arsenal play up in bursts.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Consistency triumphs over bursts of brilliance.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
At its heart, memoir is about epiphanies—those remembered flashes that alter the trajectory of a life, moments of crisis that force people to take stock of their experience, and events after which nothing feels quite the same.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
-
That could mean finding better ways to use Engram, who showed some flashes of big-play potential at times during his first season in Denver, but the team should also view the upcoming NFL Draft as an opportunity to add a talented target at the position who can grow in the offense over time.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outburst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outburst. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
