outbursts

noun

plural of outburst
1
as in bursts
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 flurries
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 eruptions
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 outbursts There have also been repeated public outbursts from Diomansy Kamara, Sarr’s agent, about Palace’s handling of his client while Sarr himself removed all references to Palace on his social media platforms. — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Such criticism formed a fault line that ran from the cultural commentary of the ’20s to the outbursts of Beats, folkies, and academics in the ’50s. — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2026 Three people were kicked out of the meeting for their outbursts related to polling locations. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026 The 36-year-old Hubble also is dropping in orbit because of the sun’s recent outbursts. — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026 He was accused of two other antisemitic outbursts and was eventually convicted in France on hate-speech charges. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 20 Aug. 2026 The 36-year-old Hubble is also dropping in orbit because of all the sun's recent outbursts and is expected to reenter the atmosphere in the 2030s if nothing is done. — CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 Even if fighting does not intensify, will continuing sporadic outbursts blocking shipping through the Strait of Hormuz eventually pass through into a true global recession? — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2026 His wife, Liz (Evan Rachel Wood), is a sneak preview of Debbie’s future, self-medicating with drugs, alcohol, and wrathful outbursts. — Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbursts
  1. bursts
  2. flurries
  3. eruptions
  4. explosions
  5. outbreaks
  6. flashes
  7. spurts
  8. gusts
Noun
  • And the 27-inch display bursts with gorgeous contrast and colors.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Inside, you’re greeted with fireworks; more than 30,000 crystals hang from a chandelier, forming a dozen bursts of light.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of bursts
Noun
  • Chelsea spent long stretches of the first half in survival mode as Arsenal roared onto the front foot after that shock opener, conjuring furious flurries of pressure from open play and set pieces.
    — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Our arrival in the Madawaska River country of eastern Ontario, near Combermere, was noteworthy only for the snow flurries and marrow-chilling gales that howled down from Hudson Bay to greet us.
    — HARRY H. EDEL, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of flurries
Noun
  • Potential hazards include volcanic bombs, heavy ashfall and lava flows if continuous eruptions resume.
    — Niniek Karmini, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • After the northern lights put on a dazzling show over North Dakota, Canada and Iceland earlier this week, the solar eruptions expected to stir up Wednesday night’s sky have been delayed or possibly missed Earth altogether.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of eruptions
Noun
  • The resulting detonations will result in explosions, flashes of light and clouds of smoke visible from a distance, the Navy said.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026
  • One resident, Iryna Barisenkova, recalled hearing loud explosions while traveling on public transport.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of explosions
Noun
  • Last month, Congo began vaccinating health and other front-line workers with the Ervebo vaccine that was effective in past Ebola outbreaks caused by a different, more common type called Zaire.
    — JEAN-YVES KAMALE, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the region's healthcare system is already stretched thin, treating children with malnutrition and outbreaks of malaria or measles on a regular basis.
    — Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of outbreaks
Noun
  • But to overhaul Antonelli, Ferrari will need a return to the strong team performance and precise execution shown only in flashes of this season.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The main colors here are black and white, with flashes of red and blue.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of flashes
Noun
  • In the fall, temperatures hover comfortably in the 60s, and quick spurts of rain lend the city an atmospheric mist.
    — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The region could also be hit by pockets of thunderstorms, which would bring heavier rain in localized and brief spurts, but the chances of that were about 10% to 15%, according to David Gomberg, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
    — Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of spurts
Noun
  • In addition to the potential hurricane-force wind gusts, tornadoes are possible near the two islands, and heavy rains are expected throughout the main islands, the hurricane center's specialists warned.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Destructive wind gusts have topped 90 mph and Lowell has sparked Hawaii's first-ever tornado watch.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of gusts

Browse Nearby Words

outburst
outbursts
outcast
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outbursts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbursts. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of empirical

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All