1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
there was an immediate outbreak of paper shuffling and a pretense of work when the supervisor passed through the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in revolt
open fighting against authority (as one's own government)
the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outbreak
According to the county Department of Public Health, cases have been reported countywide, but localized outbreaks were confirmed in the Los Angeles Central City area, Santa Monica and Willowbrook.
—
City News Service, Daily News, 3 Apr. 2026
The outbreak of nine people reporting illnesses occurred in California, Florida and Texas, per the CDC.
—Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Society benefits because infectious disease outbreaks are less likely to occur when individuals are vaccinated.
—Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Health Minister Roger Kamba told journalists that the government had made the determination that the outbreak was over and no longer a national emergency.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
City News Service, Daily News, 3 Apr. 2026
The outbreak of nine people reporting illnesses occurred in California, Florida and Texas, per the CDC.
—Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Society benefits because infectious disease outbreaks are less likely to occur when individuals are vaccinated.
—Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Health Minister Roger Kamba told journalists that the government had made the determination that the outbreak was over and no longer a national emergency.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
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Pritchard dissected Milwaukee’s defense at all three levels during that flurry, converting two layups, two 3-pointers and one nine-foot fadeaway.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Blanche’s statement comes amid a flurry of speculation that Epstein worked for the CIA or another intelligence agency.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As a history of the Arab revolt, Seven Pillars of Wisdom is sometimes lacking in accuracy; as an intimate memoir, however, the text is a classic.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
After enduring a series of mini-revolts from fans criticizing last spring’s casting announcement and December’s first-look trailer, Survivor 50 has gotten off to an encouraging start.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Each pea is a miraculous burst of freshness that can stand up to assertive flavors.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 Apr. 2026
-
By using bursts of infrared light—rather than microwaves—from a laser to encode data, these systems can move far more information than traditional systems and can often do so with a smaller and lighter device.—
Adam Bluestein,
Scientific American,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There were rebellions, insurrections and an Appian Way lined with crucifixions.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, a separate insurrection led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a Marxist political party, tore through the southern part of the country in the late 1980s, killing tens of thousands of people.—
Eranda Jayawickreme,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Risks are higher during periods of greater solar activity, which follows an 11-year cycle that researchers track by tallying the dark sunspots that represent magnetic storms capable of producing outbursts.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
-
No one, not even Jason — who is baffled at the galley’s sudden collapse — is more surprised at Ellie’s outburst than Ben.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Koeninger led off the bottom of the first inning for Keller (23-1-2 overall, 9-0 district) by lining a ball over the left field wall to start a 4-run uprising.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Contrary to expectations in Washington and Jerusalem, the war has not sparked a popular uprising.—
Kazem Kazerounian,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The ur-mutiny, encompassing some of these, provoking and provoked by others, is MAGA.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
-
That mobility occasionally allowed for communication and coordination during mutinies.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The stumbles provided ammunition to a bipartisan congressional rebellion that eventually led to overwhelming passage of a bill requiring release of all the files, although the DOJ has been slow to comply.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Seeing privileged young women wisen up to their standardized subjugation is bound to be less dramatic than witnessing a righteous workers’ rebellion.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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