1
as in bursts
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
a spurt of economic growth for the first quarter of the year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pours
to flow out in great quantities or with force
water spurted from the garden hose just as I was checking the nozzle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in erupts
to throw out or off (something from within) often violently
the pipe suddenly cracked and began spurting water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spurts
Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
The Horned Frogs can play fast in spurts, but typically TCU uses a more deliberate pace on offense, using multiple ball screens to create the right look for Miles or her teammates.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
But recovery would come in fits and spurts.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
My limbs stilled and grew heavy in the heat, but Alice jiggled her knees up and down, bursting out with short spurts of conversation that weighed against the beauty of our silence.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
The 6-foot-4 center back played in spurts after being acquired in a trade with Dallas last year for $300,000 in general allocation money and an international roster slot.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
The Illini kept it close for much of the half, but the Wolverines showcased their ability to answer in quick spurts, scoring 10 fast-break points.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
This function is often intended to be used in short spurts.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
Nebraska didn’t make its first field goal until almost six minutes into the game and battled through several cold spurts before capitalizing on some opportunities in transition in the second half.
—ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
While their defensive effort came in spurts, the Magic performed well enough on offense to capture a win that marked the franchise’s first on the road at Dallas since 2011.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
The Horned Frogs can play fast in spurts, but typically TCU uses a more deliberate pace on offense, using multiple ball screens to create the right look for Miles or her teammates.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
But recovery would come in fits and spurts.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
My limbs stilled and grew heavy in the heat, but Alice jiggled her knees up and down, bursting out with short spurts of conversation that weighed against the beauty of our silence.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
The 6-foot-4 center back played in spurts after being acquired in a trade with Dallas last year for $300,000 in general allocation money and an international roster slot.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
The Illini kept it close for much of the half, but the Wolverines showcased their ability to answer in quick spurts, scoring 10 fast-break points.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
This function is often intended to be used in short spurts.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
Nebraska didn’t make its first field goal until almost six minutes into the game and battled through several cold spurts before capitalizing on some opportunities in transition in the second half.
—ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
Blood spurts against the window.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurts
Noun
-
The American Beauty rose is a climbing rose that adds bursts of color to your fence.—
Claudia Guthrie,
The Spruce,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The first of these—a cult favorite among writers, particularly youngish women writers—put Lemann on the map as a singular stylist, capable of crystalline insights into the miscreants and oddballs of the American South and great bursts of unrestrained sentiment.—
Brandy Jensen,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
By Saturday, the Pentagon had surged more than 150 aircraft to join the effort to rescue the weapons system officer, Dude 44B, including 64 fighter jets, four bombers, 48 refuelers, 13 rescue planes and 26 intelligence and jamming aircraft, sources told CBS News.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Taiwan has already committed tens of billions of dollars to US weapons systems, including fighter jets and missiles.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And cheap Guinness pours only lubricate the mystique.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The 9-9-9 challenge in Section 139 invites fans to tackle nine slider hot dogs paired with nine 4-ounce beer pours across 9 innings.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Guardians must protect the Legendary Silver Crystal when a battle erupts with a mysterious enemy during the Celestial Ball and plunges the Moon Palace into chaos.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Controversy erupts at Yale as damning letter from legendary coach leaks.—
,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Curry magic, Curry flurries, Curry bringing an arena to its feet.—
Sports Columnist,
San Francisco Chronicle,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The light snow flurries in the Tahoe area this week after a spell of record-setting March heatwaves across California were not enough to reverse the damage.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the Flames had converted four times on either odd-man rushes or breakaways, erasing the Ducks’ early 1-0 lead.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Video shows two people rushing out of a motorcoach waiting at the red light and running over to the victim lying crumpled on the street, while a pedestrian also rushes over to her from the curb.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the same time, a salty liquid containing calcium chloride (a salt often used to de-ice roads) is pumped through the regenerator, which carries the heat away and ejects it to the surroundings on exit.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Results published in Nature show that cells use bioelectricity to coordinate a complex collective behavior called extrusion, a vital process that ejects sick or struggling individual cells from tissue to maintain health and keep growth in check.—
Elise Cutts,
Quanta Magazine,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Trump’s outbursts bespoke the frustration of a thoroughly incompetent ruler who began a war with no plan for how to conduct or conclude it and was unprepared for Iran’s resistance.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
-
It’s been nearly two months since the BAFTA Film Awards were upended by a series of profoundly upsetting outbursts during the February ceremony.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spurts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurts. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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