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

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2
as in revolt
open fighting against authority (as one's own government) the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency

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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 outbreak The Pentagon can no longer afford to wait for the outbreak of the next conflict to enact these changes. Michael Brown, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025 The dynamic between Francis and the Israeli government became decidedly more tense after the outbreak of the current war in Gaza. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025 Since the outbreak of the war, a total of 4,552 Ukrainians, both military and civilians, have been returned from captivity. Arkansas Online, 20 Apr. 2025 Now Apple iPhone 17 Pro And iPhone 17 Pro Max: Latest Leaks Promise New Designs Disease outbreaks are also expected to surge, while vaccination rates are dropping. Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
  • Grapevine has a flurry of talent including junior catcher Gianni Corral, an uncommitted recruit who was previously committed to Texas A&M. Outfielder Zachary Goldstein, also a junior, is a scrappy speedster with a knack for getting on base.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2025
  • All in all, that was a good response by the Razorbacks to the Aggies' early flurry of runs.
    Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Listen to this article Nearly a year after record heat and surging electric bills sparked a ratepayer revolt, the legislature is set to take up a bill that could cut hundreds of millions of dollars from customer rates by restructuring how the state buys energy and how customers pay for it.
    Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2025
  • The longtime leader of the latter group, George Gresham, is said to personally support endorsing Mr. Cuomo but is facing a broader revolt within his union.
    Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • All the nervous energy that had built up at American Airlines Center was released in a burst of delirious joy.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The Hubble Space Telescope's recent deep-dive into Andromeda has been able to track the disorder in M31 that the merger left in its wake: streams of stars cannibalized from the galaxy eaten by M31 and producing a burst of star formation.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Users have convened on 4chan to plan hacks like DDoS attacks, and conspiracy theories that festered on 4chan even reportedly inspired the January 6 insurrection at the United States Capitol.
    Matt Burgess, Wired News, 15 Apr. 2025
  • With military support from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain’s Sunni dictator Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa survived a Shiite insurrection.
    Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In some cases, the person may exhibit sudden emotional outbursts or changes in temperament.
    Brigid Dwyer, Verywell Health, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The seven-goal outburst on Saturday vs. Washington gives the Jackets 254 goals.
    Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Arrested repeatedly since the height of the Egyptian uprising in 2011, he was sentenced in 2021 to an additional five years in prison for spreading false news and assaulting a police officer – charges that human rights organizations say were politically motivated.
    Mounira Elsamra, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Rather than the epic battles of good vs. evil that ground the Skywalker saga, Andor's focus is the human cost of rebellion and harsh realities of a prolonged uprising against an authoritarian regime.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • It has been used to punish mutinies and desertion in armies, as frontier justice in America's Old West and as a tool of terror and political repression in the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Which brings me back to the confusion and the mutiny.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • For years, Bitcoin stood as a symbol of rebellion—a decentralized answer to central banks, inflationary currencies, and overreaching governments.
    Max (Chong) Li, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • What may have seemed like a lighthearted act of rebellion struck a chord with many disillusioned job seekers, fed up with outdated hiring practices and a job market increasingly filtered through artificial intelligence.
    Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

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