1
as in fracture
an opening caused by the sudden tearing or breaking of something
The earthquake created a rupture that spanned several miles. Doctors identified a rupture in his aorta.
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2
as in rift
the loss of good relations
The incident caused a diplomatic rupture between the two countries. They've been working to mend the rupture in their relationship.
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1
as in to fracture
to cause to develop a hole, crack, or tear often in a sudden and forceful or violent way
She was out for the rest of the season after she ruptured a tendon.
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2
as in to burst
to develop a hole, crack, or tear often in a sudden and forceful or violent way
The pipeline ruptured, leaking thousands of gallons of oil. The fault could rupture during the next major earthquake. High blood pressure caused the blood vessels to rupture.
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Recent Examples of rupture
Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
The Giants expect an earlier return from Skattebo, who sustained a dislocated right ankle, a fibula fracture and a deltoid ligament rupture in late October, requiring emergency surgery.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 20 Jan. 2026
Adam Harrington, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
In his first rodeo following open-heart surgery last March after a bull’s horn ruptured his tricuspid valve, Kippes stole the show on Wednesday at the National Western Stock Show.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rupture
Noun
Those arguments are coming solely from the White House, where Trump himself, with no meaningful assistance from policy experts, has run the United States headlong into a diplomatic rupture with its closest allies, Defense and State Department sources tell The Times.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
The Giants expect an earlier return from Skattebo, who sustained a dislocated right ankle, a fibula fracture and a deltoid ligament rupture in late October, requiring emergency surgery.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 20 Jan. 2026
Verb
Officials confirmed the main that ruptured was an 8-inch cast-iron water main installed in 1925.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
In his first rodeo following open-heart surgery last March after a bull’s horn ruptured his tricuspid valve, Kippes stole the show on Wednesday at the National Western Stock Show.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rupture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rupture
Noun
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Okongwu left Wednesday night’s game in Boston after sustaining a dental fracture during the fourth quarter.—
Lauren Williams,
AJC.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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In a conference call with reporters, Nix contradicted his own head coach’s communication around the quarterback’s ankle fracture.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Rather than just showing these thinkers reciting their greatest hits, the longform discussions showcase all of the contradictions (and occasional rifts) between members of the same movement.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
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Rumors of a family rift had been swirling since Brooklyn married Nicola Peltz Beckham in April 2022.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After killing a penalty early in the middle frame, Minnesota pulled even with another man-advantage goal when Joel Eriksson Ek snapped in the rebound of a Kaprizov shot.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
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Later, Trevon Brazile had a shot to pull the Razorbacks close with LSU ahead 34-31, but the senior missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity.—
Tom Murphy,
Arkansas Online,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Extreme cold snaps in Chicago can cause trees to crack and burst from freezing stress.—
Christiana Freitag,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
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Then be sure to read our guide bursting with handy tips on how to photograph Earth's natural satellite, along with our picks of the best cameras and lenses for capturing the majesty of the night sky.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The peak of Yosemite’s granite wall is higher than the tallest building in the world and requires climbers to navigate a maze of fissures, crevices and cracks.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
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The fatal shooting sparked demonstrations nationwide and has deepened fissures between federal and state officials.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The right’s schisms were on full display during AmericaFest, Turning Point USA’s annual conference, which took place in Phoenix this past weekend.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
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But in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a painful schism emerged between them, one that led them to stop speaking to one another for an extended period of time.—
Scott Huver,
PEOPLE,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Why the operating assumptions remain fixed even when leaders recognize they're broken.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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In a letter to the court, one woman said surgeons installed a metal plate in her arm, which was broken by a bullet.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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It's now been 40 years since New Hampshire school teacher Christa McAuliffe died when the space shuttle Challenger exploded.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Just more than a minute after ignition, the ruptured booster caused the shuttle’s giant external fuel tank to explode, tearing the vehicle to pieces over the ocean and dooming all seven astronauts.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rupture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rupture. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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