1
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling the judge directed the courtroom spectators to refrain from any outbursts when the verdict was read

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
as in eruption
the act or an instance of exploding in the outburst known as a supernova, the star may reach an intrinsic luminosity one billion times that of the sun

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 outburst In 2016, Tulika Prasad's non-verbal, autistic son had an outburst at a grocery store. Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 May 2025 The offensive outburst gave Chicago nine or more runs in four consecutive games. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025 However, Kross also acknowledged that the candid outburst wasn't universally well-received within the company. Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025 Silently watching from behind one of the Oval Office couches was Elon Musk, a white South African immigrant to the U.S. who, probably more than anyone else, has promoted the misinformation about the mistreatment of whites in his homeland that fuelled Trump’s outburst. Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for outburst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outburst
Noun
  • The explosion of betting options signals the next stage of growth for U.S. sports betting, shifting from wagers placed before a game to betting during a game.
    Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 15 June 2025
  • Photo taken after an explosion in downtown Tehran amid Israel's two-day campaign of strikes against Iran on June 15.
    Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
Noun
  • Beyond the playoffs, NBA Draft, and flurry of early-summer free agency moves, the large majority of the NBA calendar plays out on regional sports networks.
    John Cassillo, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • Posey sent a message, and that message was received. Led by Johnson, Ramos and plenty of others, the Giants responded to this morning’s flurry of roster moves by erasing a five-run deficit against the San Diego Padres to beat their divisional rival, 6-5.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • During Mount Etna’s recent eruption, however, the flow was contained within the region’s Lion Valley, per the AP.
    Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
  • More recently, Mount Etna has been active in the past few months, with this eruption being the 14th episode since March 2025 after a 19-day lull.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • Then, just before the neutron star is consumed by the black hole, these waves turn into a powerful blast, emitting a burst of radio waves known as a fast radio burst (FRB).
    Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 5 June 2025
  • Several videos shared on TikTok by Khalifa show groups of Palestinians lying flat on the ground and taking cover from ongoing bursts of automatic gunfire.
    Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • Bursts of orange flash under a half dozen columns of black smoke billowing just beyond a freeway where traffic continues as usual.
    Karl Vick, Time, 13 June 2025
  • At least four people have been killed and others are still missing following torrential rain and flash flooding Thursday morning in San Antonio.
    David Matthews, New York Daily News, 12 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outburst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outburst. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on outburst

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!