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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rupture
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 1 Mar. 2026
Borsutzki climbed out of the driver’s seat and sprinted toward the rupture in the road before crouching at the edge, a man pinned deep below crying out for help.
—Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, Celtics star Jayson Tatum is also on the verge of making a return to action nine months after rupturing his right Achilles tendon during last season’s playoffs.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rupture
Noun
In the wake of the rupture, OpenAI has moved quickly to fill the gap.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 1 Mar. 2026
Borsutzki climbed out of the driver’s seat and sprinted toward the rupture in the road before crouching at the edge, a man pinned deep below crying out for help.
—Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
Officials said a 42-inch water main in the area ruptured.
—CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, Celtics star Jayson Tatum is also on the verge of making a return to action nine months after rupturing his right Achilles tendon during last season’s playoffs.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rupture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rupture
Noun
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The motorcyclist, Juan David Gasper Gonzalez, was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital with a compound leg fracture that required surgery, according to the warrant.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
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The Justice Department’s about-face revealed a major fracture in antitrust enforcement.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Interviews and records obtained by the Star-Telegram revealed workers’ compensation disputes have indeed created a deep rift between those at City Hall and those tasked with keeping the city safe.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Mar. 2026
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All of these aspects make the rift between the two countries especially painful.—
Jeanne Bonner,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Not a second later, Mustangs senior Frank Psaute pulled from deep, nailed a triple, and nodded at David as the Mustangs cut Rock Canyon’s lead to five.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
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Then Liel Abada had a clean breakaway in the 22nd minute but pulled wide right.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Few cities are as bursting with history, from the medieval streets of its Old Town to the spacious boulevards of its 18th-century New Town.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
14 Mar. 2026
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With four attacking players on the pitch, Bernardo Silva and Rodri were left exposed in the centre, as were a back four who could not cope once Madrid burst through midfield.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But the 7th District has also exposed a fissure among the city’s left-leaning unions, as the CTU has backed Conyears-Ervin and contributed $72,500 to her state central committee fund.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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Sandstone and limestone provided fissures and fractures where these hydrocarbons could sit, and caprock kept everything in place.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ferrante’s portrait of these schisms is exquisite, detailing all the jealousies and insecurities that can thrive in a friendship between two bright ambitious women.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
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The Defense Department’s reliance on Anthropic’s AI came as a shocking realization that ultimately led to their dramatic schism, according to a top Pentagon official.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After that, Republicans plan to spend days litigating the bill against Democrats before moving to a decisive vote to break a filibuster.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
17 Mar. 2026
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He was suspected as part of the teenage crew that gained notoriety in January 2025 for breaking into a pair of R trains and moving them at speeds up to 30 mph along a section of express track in Brooklyn.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sudan slid into chaos in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the militant group exploded into open fighting in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Nineteenth-century naval mines exploded on contact.—
Jon R. Lindsay,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rupture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rupture. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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