1
as in fractured
to cause to develop a hole, crack, or tear often in a sudden and forceful or violent way
She was out for the rest of the season after she ruptured a tendon.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
2
as in exploded
to develop a hole, crack, or tear often in a sudden and forceful or violent way
The pipeline ruptured, leaking thousands of gallons of oil. The fault could rupture during the next major earthquake. High blood pressure caused the blood vessels to rupture.
Related Words
Dissimilar 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 ruptured
The first time was during the 2024 playoffs, when Finch ruptured his patellar tendon during Game 4 of a first-round series against the Phoenix Suns.
—
Jason Quick,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
More than 1 billion gallons of ash spilled into waterways and neighboring properties after a dike ruptured.
—
Christiana Freitag,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
His spleen, damaged by bouts of blackwater fever, ruptured, after he was crushed by a charging buffalo.
—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
The 11 people killed after a chemical tank ruptured at a pulp and paper mill in Washington state last month all suffered chemical burns, officials said Thursday while releasing the autopsy results.
—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
During middle school, severe stomach pain and nausea became so intense that she was sent to the emergency room, where doctors discovered a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst had ruptured.
—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
Because Kittle’s Achilles ruptured higher up the calf, his repair did not require holes being drilled into his heel.
—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
The crash ruptured a natural gas line and temporarily evacuated several homes, but no other injuries were reported, police said.
—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
This quickly ruptured the first and then second stage of the rocket.
—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
Jason Quick,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
More than 1 billion gallons of ash spilled into waterways and neighboring properties after a dike ruptured.
—
Christiana Freitag,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
His spleen, damaged by bouts of blackwater fever, ruptured, after he was crushed by a charging buffalo.
—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
The 11 people killed after a chemical tank ruptured at a pulp and paper mill in Washington state last month all suffered chemical burns, officials said Thursday while releasing the autopsy results.
—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
During middle school, severe stomach pain and nausea became so intense that she was sent to the emergency room, where doctors discovered a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst had ruptured.
—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
Because Kittle’s Achilles ruptured higher up the calf, his repair did not require holes being drilled into his heel.
—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
The crash ruptured a natural gas line and temporarily evacuated several homes, but no other injuries were reported, police said.
—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
This quickly ruptured the first and then second stage of the rocket.
—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruptured
Verb
-
In the years since Brexit, Britain's political landscape has fractured, with declining support for the two long-dominant parties, Conservatives and Labour.
-
Voters have expressed remorse In the years since Brexit, Britain’s political landscape has fractured, with declining support for the two long-dominant parties, Conservatives and Labour.
Verb
-
Hakan Akgun / Anadolu via Getty Images The Houston stadium exploded with thundering applause, fans in blue jerseys and cheeks painted with the Cape Verdean flag cheering with joy.
-
Demand for skywatching optics exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, with people staying at home more and looking for outdoor hobbies.
Verb
-
After the network successfully pulled together a motley crew of Real Housewives offspring and their Manhattan socialite friends last year, the gang is back for a second season in the city.
-
Arraez pulled a 1-1 curveball from the Athletics’ Aaron Civale off the top of his right foot and collapsed to the ground in pain.
Verb
-
Without a care about the mud or the impending return to reality, the crowd relished the final moments of the festival as fireworks burst over the stage.
-
In two places outside Berlin, the concrete of the A2 burst due to the high temperatures and the highway had to be closed.
Verb
-
Lineage, which describes itself as the world's largest owner of cold storage facilities, experienced a fire at another of its warehouses, in Finley, Washington, which ripped through the entire building and burned for two months in 2024.
-
The lessons aren’t all that different from the great breadstick campaign of 2014, when Starboard’s Jeff Smith’s play at Olive Garden parent Darden literally ripped the company for undersalting its pasta water in an effort to save money on pots and pans.
Verb
-
Messi somehow blew a penalty kick in the eighth minute, when teammate Lautaro Martinez was brought down by Austrian defender Stefan Posch.
-
Several hours before the whistle blew on the pitch, Norwegian fans flocked to Times Square in the heart of New York City to give their squad a proper sendoff.
Verb
-
Misiorowski didn’t give up a hit until Seiya Suzuki broke a scoreless tie with a home run to lead off the fifth inning.
-
According to the federal indictment, the 32-year-old man broke into the car and took a bag containing a rifle and silencer, as well as a satchel of ammunition.
Verb
-
The May 28 fire tore through a dormitory housing 202 students at the Utumishi Girls School in central Kenya, and students were forced to flee through a single doorway when the school matron failed to open an emergency exit.
-
Ultimately, the partnership didn’t work out, as Lillard tore his left Achilles tendon in the 2025 playoffs.
Cite this Entry
“Ruptured.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruptured. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
