1
as in flurries
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 insurrections
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 outbreaks
Measles was eliminated in the United States by 2000 but has resurfaced in periodic outbreaks, mostly among people who are not vaccinated.
—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
The outbreaks have mostly affected children and have come as infectious disease experts warn that rising public distrust of vaccines generally may be contributing to the spread of a disease once declared eradicated by public health officials.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Deteriorating water-delivery and sewage systems have contributed to a growing number of outbreaks of legionella.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
The outbreaks have mostly impacted children and have come as infectious disease experts warn that rising public distrust of vaccines generally may be contributing to the spread of a disease once declared eradicated by public health officials.
—Matt Brown, Denver Post, 8 Feb. 2026
As those toddlers age into school age settings, the scope of the measles outbreaks are going to continue to escalate in this country.
—CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Norovirus outbreaks lead to mass quarantining and can halt all activities, shows, entertainment, and congregating in communal areas.
—Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 26 Jan. 2026
Applications include spot-spraying of weeds, application of nutrients to specific plant zones, and treating disease outbreaks with minimal chemical usage and zero overspray.
—Sabbir Rangwala, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The Charlotte Observer reported this month one in six North Carolina children attend schools where there’s a high risk for measles outbreaks.
—Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2026
N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
The outbreaks have mostly affected children and have come as infectious disease experts warn that rising public distrust of vaccines generally may be contributing to the spread of a disease once declared eradicated by public health officials.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Deteriorating water-delivery and sewage systems have contributed to a growing number of outbreaks of legionella.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
The outbreaks have mostly impacted children and have come as infectious disease experts warn that rising public distrust of vaccines generally may be contributing to the spread of a disease once declared eradicated by public health officials.
—Matt Brown, Denver Post, 8 Feb. 2026
As those toddlers age into school age settings, the scope of the measles outbreaks are going to continue to escalate in this country.
—CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Norovirus outbreaks lead to mass quarantining and can halt all activities, shows, entertainment, and congregating in communal areas.
—Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 26 Jan. 2026
Applications include spot-spraying of weeds, application of nutrients to specific plant zones, and treating disease outbreaks with minimal chemical usage and zero overspray.
—Sabbir Rangwala, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The Charlotte Observer reported this month one in six North Carolina children attend schools where there’s a high risk for measles outbreaks.
—Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreaks
Noun
-
Worst case scenario is that Baltimore metro receives a few flurries with up to a trace of snow.—
Steven Sosna,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Snow flurries in Jacksonville Why is Groundhog Day celebrated?—
Doris Alvarez Cea,
Florida Times-Union,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike coups or insurrections, which are swift and explicit, modern democratic backsliding is often incremental.—
Helena Carpio,
Time,
16 Jan. 2026
-
The 1807 measure allows the president to deploy members of the military or federalize state National Guard members to contain insurrections.—
Sarah Davis,
The Hill,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Also, some bursts showed strong circular polarization, a signal characteristic of magnetic processes.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Hulu has steadily built a library of bold, thought-provoking miniseries that have managed to entertain audiences in short bursts.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Continue reading … THINK AGAIN — New 'microgeneration' of students revolts against 'cringy' campus wokeness.—
,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The royal government was also known as a dictatorship for banning political parties, suppressing revolts and political opposition, controlling the press and having its own secret police force called SAVAK.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For his courtroom outbursts, Davis found Thompson in contempt of court and added a little more than four and a half years to his sentence.—
Monroe Trombly,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
-
An audience member was removed at one point for outbursts during remarks by commissioner Carrie Prejean, who rejected notions that anti-Zionism equates to antisemitism.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Arab Spring uprisings reached Syria in 2011 and blazed up into civil war.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Urban uprisings and rebellions by Blacks stretched from coast to coast.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Urban uprisings and rebellions by Blacks stretched from coast to coast.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Here are some notable uses of the Insurrection Act, usually to quell rebellions or in cases where local or state authorities were unable or unwilling to maintain order or uphold the Constitution.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This includes leader assassination attempts by political opponents or lone wolves or mutinies by disgruntled soldiers who might even march on the presidential palace to demand higher pay, promotions or other policy concessions.—
John Joseph Chin,
The Conversation,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outbreaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreaks. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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