1
as in explodes
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
the turnover's crust burst when the filling expanded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shatters
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in flurries
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
a sudden burst of industriousness whenever the boss appeared
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in explosions
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a burst of anger that startled the other members on the panel
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in eruptions
the act or an instance of exploding
one burst after another could be heard in the distance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bursts
Nnamdi Onyeagwara, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
The 60-year immigration bubble finally bursts.
—FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Once a cushioned conduit to the other side, the casket now bursts with the wisdom of a life lived outside the box.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 16 Oct. 2025
Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Sedona Sedona is another popular fall break destination for many reasons, least of all being Oak Creek Canyon, which bursts with color during the autumn months.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As Alien fans know, the facehugger will impregnate its host with a Xenomorph embryo, which eventually bursts from the host's chest.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
The movie is a tour de force In IMAX, the format’s large screen and huge sound a perfect partner for the purple one’s charisma, which positively bursts off the screen.
—Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Third Thursdays bring the festive Art Walk, when the district bursts with local art, live music, and technicolor vibes.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2025
Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
We were immediately greeted by a resplendence of wildflowers, including purple-pink woolly bluecurls, bright orange southern bush monkey flower, red bursts of cardinal catchfly and at least one Catalina Mariposa lily.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Tiny bursts of such chemicals allow neurons to signal to each other.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
The ensemble cast rises to meet that wild tonal register, with bursts of comic precision, aching vulnerability, and just enough theatricality to make every new stop on the girls’ quest feel spectacularly organic.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
The chicks are also working out with short bursts of wingersizing, Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit that monitors the birds, said in a social media post earlier this month.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Becerra peppered his speech with bursts of Spanish.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2026
Known as the theme park capital of the world, Central Florida bursts with family-friendly fun.
—Lisa A. Beach, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
While most passengers are considerate, late-night returns and early-morning departures can bring bursts of noise outside your door.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Verb
Haaland bursts our bubble almost immediately by scoring in the opening five minutes, and Burnley miss a few good first-half chances, with striker Zian Flemming particularly culpable.
—Nnamdi Onyeagwara, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
The 60-year immigration bubble finally bursts.
—FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Once a cushioned conduit to the other side, the casket now bursts with the wisdom of a life lived outside the box.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 16 Oct. 2025
Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Sedona Sedona is another popular fall break destination for many reasons, least of all being Oak Creek Canyon, which bursts with color during the autumn months.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As Alien fans know, the facehugger will impregnate its host with a Xenomorph embryo, which eventually bursts from the host's chest.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
The movie is a tour de force In IMAX, the format’s large screen and huge sound a perfect partner for the purple one’s charisma, which positively bursts off the screen.
—Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Third Thursdays bring the festive Art Walk, when the district bursts with local art, live music, and technicolor vibes.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
The discordant, Bernard Herrmann-esque bursts of María Portugal’s rich score ratchet up the suspense and foreboding.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
We were immediately greeted by a resplendence of wildflowers, including purple-pink woolly bluecurls, bright orange southern bush monkey flower, red bursts of cardinal catchfly and at least one Catalina Mariposa lily.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Tiny bursts of such chemicals allow neurons to signal to each other.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
The ensemble cast rises to meet that wild tonal register, with bursts of comic precision, aching vulnerability, and just enough theatricality to make every new stop on the girls’ quest feel spectacularly organic.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
The chicks are also working out with short bursts of wingersizing, Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit that monitors the birds, said in a social media post earlier this month.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Becerra peppered his speech with bursts of Spanish.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2026
Known as the theme park capital of the world, Central Florida bursts with family-friendly fun.
—Lisa A. Beach, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
While most passengers are considerate, late-night returns and early-morning departures can bring bursts of noise outside your door.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bursts
Verb
-
Every note just explodes off the instrument.—
Charlie Harding,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
After 10 years of dormancy, the desert explodes with color, attracting visitors and pollinators alike.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The other, from the southwest Khuzestan province, has a filling of dates, walnuts and coconut and pastry that shatters like a shell.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
-
But the illusion shatters when a stranger on the street recognizes the dog… as HER boyfriend Danny’s dog.—
William Earl,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Niantic, a village within the town of East Lyme in southeastern Connecticut, buzzes with local energy.—
Amy Thomas,
Travel + Leisure,
12 May 2026
-
An Israeli drone buzzes over a sea of debris in northern Gaza, where homes were turned into mass graves.—
Anas Baba,
NPR,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The latest flurries that dusted parts of the Sierra Nevada this week are unlikely to do much to ease California’s snow drought.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
As the rain and snow fall, flurries can melt, mix together and refreeze just before hitting the ground, according to Jackson Macfarlane, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Boise office.—
Hali Smith
April 14,
Idaho Statesman,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Herrero also sought to use practical effects throughout the film, including gunfire and explosions, often enhanced with visual effects.—
Ed Meza,
Variety,
16 May 2026
-
Rubin, with the exquisite detail of its images, is well placed to find these types of events, in which stars disappear in explosions that can be too faint for other surveys to see.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
For Sandra Hüller, eruptions of emotion don’t come naturally.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
-
Beyond eruptions and lava fields, the park also has miles of trails, native flora and fauna, as well as sacred petroglyphs.—
Kait Hanson,
Travel + Leisure,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
After the pass comes to Bridges, who detonates passersby at the basket regularly, White goes straight up, though with a little more oomph than usual.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Advertisement Christine Adams Courtesy of Apple TV Lang gets off the train and, once at a safe distance, detonates the explosive.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Alas, Shao Khan smashes Cole’s head with a hammer, Gallagher style, and shoves his body into a vat of acid.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
12 May 2026
-
Maybe a sleek ship is being chased by enemy fighters through a dense asteroid field, and one of them smashes into a massive space rock and is explosively atomized.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bursts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bursts. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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