1
as in to explode
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
the turnover's crust burst when the filling expanded
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shatter
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
finally burst the piñata open with one mighty swing of the bat
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
a sudden burst of industriousness whenever the boss appeared
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2
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a burst of anger that startled the other members on the panel
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3
as in eruption
the act or an instance of exploding
one burst after another could be heard in the distance
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burst
Jeaneen Russell, People.com, 2 June 2025
Profound shock The worst scenario would be that a wave of debris bursts the nearby Ferden Dam, Valais canton official Ganzer said.
—Dave Graham, Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2025
Lisa Desantis, Glamour, 2 June 2025
Named for the distinctive black markings on the tips of their dorsal, pelvic, and tail fins, blacktip sharks primarily eat small fish, squid, and crustaceans, using quick bursts of speed to chase down prey.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for burst
Verb
With the start of summer concert season, these earplugs are also a great hack for enjoying your favorite artist while not bursting your eardrums or becoming overstimulated.
—Jeaneen Russell, People.com, 2 June 2025
Profound shock The worst scenario would be that a wave of debris bursts the nearby Ferden Dam, Valais canton official Ganzer said.
—Dave Graham, Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2025
Noun
Then hold the can 8 to 10 inches away before spraying in short bursts.
—Lisa Desantis, Glamour, 2 June 2025
Named for the distinctive black markings on the tips of their dorsal, pelvic, and tail fins, blacktip sharks primarily eat small fish, squid, and crustaceans, using quick bursts of speed to chase down prey.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for burst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burst
Verb
-
Flight Pan Am 103 was en route from Heathrow to JFK when a bomb exploded in its hold over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people, including 43 British citizens and 190 Americans.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
13 June 2025
-
The audience size hasn’t exploded, but the number of brands chasing them has.—
Waleed Najam,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
Windshields of cars were shattered, bulldozers were removing rubble.—
Rebecca Rosman,
NPR,
14 June 2025
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The warheads aimed to do more than shatter concrete; they were meant to buy time, according to news reports.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
13 June 2025
Verb
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Photos posted online showed the snake arrived at a Virginia animal hospital with a bulging body.—
Simone Jasper,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
-
This week, they’re dominated by the moon, which enters its bulging gibbous phase in advance of next week’s full strawberry moon.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
Beyond the playoffs, NBA Draft, and flurry of early-summer free agency moves, the large majority of the NBA calendar plays out on regional sports networks.—
John Cassillo,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
-
Posey sent a message, and that message was received. Led by Johnson, Ramos and plenty of others, the Giants responded to this morning’s flurry of roster moves by erasing a five-run deficit against the San Diego Padres to beat their divisional rival, 6-5.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
Photo taken after an explosion in downtown Tehran amid Israel's two-day campaign of strikes against Iran on June 15.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
-
The explosion of betting options signals the next stage of growth for U.S. sports betting, shifting from wagers placed before a game to betting during a game.—
Brendan Coffey,
Sportico.com,
15 June 2025
Noun
-
During Mount Etna’s recent eruption, however, the flow was contained within the region’s Lion Valley, per the AP.—
Margherita Bassi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 June 2025
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More recently, Mount Etna has been active in the past few months, with this eruption being the 14th episode since March 2025 after a 19-day lull.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
The Royal Navy is testing how to use robots to seek out and detonate mines and other threats found near vital yet vulnerable undersea cables and pipelines at greater depths than a human diver can safely reach.—
David Szondy
June 10,
New Atlas,
10 June 2025
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Torkelson smoothed out his swing, found his timing and detonated a blast that sent the ball crescendoing over the left-field fence.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Two weeks ago, vandals threw bricks through the front office window, smashing a few items inside.—
Rachel Uranga,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2025
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At least two separate crews used landscaping rocks to smash windows and enter the businesses, police said.—
Dennis Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burst. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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