bursting 1 of 3

bursting

2 of 3

noun

as in eruption
the act or an instance of exploding narrowly escaped the bursting of the car's gas tank

Synonyms & Similar Words

bursting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of burst
1
as in exploding
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the turnover's crust burst when the filling expanded

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in shattering
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

3
as in buzzing
to be copiously supplied a young singer/dancer who seems to be bursting with energy and talent

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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 bursting
Noun
Though his language is that of the every day his preternatural instinct for rhythm fills his lines with a bursting musicality. Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026 After the bursting of the dot-com bubble in 2000, the economy slipped into a recession in 2001 and was further shaken by the September 11 terrorist attacks. Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 22 June 2026 Dalio stressed that a bubble forming and a bubble bursting are different events. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 June 2026 In central defence, Saliba and Gabriel edge out Marquinhos and Pacho, although Gabriel must be alert to cover the space left behind by Mendes’s lung-bursting runs forward. Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 29 May 2026 Melissa are prime exemplars of how to do it right — and you’re bound to discover both the ultra-luxury and the laid-back amidst Nordstrom’s bursting-at-the-seams sale section this May. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 May 2026 All Tradable index prior to the bursting of the Mississippi Bubble in 1720. Tobias Burns, CNBC, 15 May 2026 Send her a bursting bouquet with 30 stems. Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 1 May 2026 Another possibility is a version of the 2008 crash, in which the bursting bubble takes down the global economy. Ganesh Sitaraman, Time, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
Join hundreds of boats and hundreds more tourists on the riverwalk to catch the bombs bursting in air. Cole Premo, CBS News, 29 June 2026 The Kings’ defense corps was once its bedrock, bursting with depth, quality and the ability to convert a home-plate mentality into counterattacking opportunities. Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 28 June 2026 Best Amazon Prime Day Home Deals Amazon’s home department is bursting with steep Prime Day deals today. Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 Always turn off the electricity and water supply line and remove nearby light fixtures when dealing with bursting ceiling pipes to avoid accidental electrocution. Helen Andriatsitohaina, The Spruce, 24 June 2026 Seven-year-old Kyron Horman stood proudly next to his presentation on red-eyed tree frogs, with his homemade tri-fold poster bursting with shades of green and glued-on diagrams of the amphibian’s life cycle. Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 23 June 2026 Any time of year, a Southern tree bursting with colorful buds is a surefire way to make a statement in your landscape. Steve Bender, Southern Living, 21 June 2026 The second half was a completely different story, bursting with action on both ends of the pitch. Bryan Preston, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2026 How can there be so much life bursting around you when your loved one has died? Liz Shulman, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bursting
Adjective
  • The Wall Street Journal featured Reese alongside WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson on its magazine cover, even after Caitlin Clark broke numerous records, filled arenas, and set new marks for WNBA broadcasts.
    Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
  • The new system allows citations to be transmitted electronically and enter the court records system pre-filled.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The intense burst of X-rays released during the eruption reached Earth in just over 8 minutes, triggering strong (R3) radio blackouts across the daylight side of Earth.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 1 July 2026
  • Emissions from volcanic eruptions can also cause some chemical chaos in this system.
    Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Flashes from exploding drones and missiles lit up the night, and loud booms echoed through Kyiv.
    Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • As SkyCal flew towards Huntington Park, dozens of rounds of fireworks were seen exploding over parts of Los Angeles, just minutes after the whistles blew in Estadio Azteca, surpassing the Round of 32 for the first time since 2018.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • SoCal’s housing market growth SpaceX’s record-shattering IPO has unleashed a wave of high-end home shoppers poised to reshape Southern California’s already tight coastal housing markets.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • At the very least, the attacks have brought the war home even more poignantly for millions of Russians, shattering Putin’s narrative of the conflict as something that doesn’t affect the lives of ordinary people in his country.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • Vic makes some baffling choices here, buzzing in twice on the first word in the series without hearing the rest, and getting eliminated from multiple rounds five seconds in.
    Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 30 June 2026
  • Between record-setting parades, military flyovers, and fireworks on the National Mall, the district will be buzzing on Independence Day.
    Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2026
Adjective
  • During the huge Round of 32 knockout showdown, packed crowds inside the legendary Estadio Azteca generated enough ground movement to trigger local seismic monitoring equipment.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • The road was so packed that his feet disappeared along the pavement, obstructed from view by those leading and those lagging behind.
    Sam McDowell July 1, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Tuesday night's explosion from Contreras had actually been 24 hours in the making.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • Authorities in the wealthy city-state of Monaco have launched a manhunt that’s stretched across the border into France after several people were wounded in an explosion caused by a bomb that was planted in a residential building.
    Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • In one video a drone runs into protective netting at least 50 feet above the target and detonating prematurely.
    David Hambling, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • Investigators found that Aliji intended to drive a Volkswagen Beetle equipped with fake police sirens and flashing blue lights toward crowds outside the venue before detonating explosives concealed inside a Red Bull can.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 28 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bursting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bursting. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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