eruption

noun

erup·​tion i-ˈrəp-shən 

1

a

: an act, process, or instance of erupting

b

: the breaking out of a rash on the skin or mucous membrane

2

: a product of erupting (such as a skin rash)

Synonyms

• agony
• blaze
• burst
• ebullition
• explosion
• fit
• flare
• flare-up
• flash
• flush
• gale
• gush
• gust
• outburst
• paroxysm
• spasm
• storm

Examples of eruption in a Sentence

a great eruption of glee as it suddenly dawned on her that she had won

the eruption of the volcano Krakatoa was one of the most violent in global history

Recent Examples on the Web

One possible scenario is an eruption outside of the volcano's caldera—the circular depression that forms a crater at a volcanic summit—as happened in the 2014 eruption. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025

Plus, scientists are still studying the effects of events like the January 2022 Tonga volcanic eruption, which introduced vast quantities of water vapor and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. —Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2025

The big picture: Chadwick hopes that information gleaned from the next eruption will inform predictions for terrestrial volcanoes. —Kale Williams, Axios, 14 Jan. 2025

Many of researchers’ ideas about evacuations come from other sorts of disasters—from studies of residents’ reactions to floods, nuclear disasters, or volcanic eruptions, and especially hurricanes. —Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 10 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing eruption

• creeping eruption
• post-eruption

Kids Definition

eruption

noun

erup·​tion i-ˈrəp-shən 

1

: an act, process, or instance of erupting

2

: a product (as a skin rash) of erupting

Medical Definition

eruption

noun

erup·​tion i-ˈrəp-shən 

1

: an act, process, or instance of erupting

the eruption of the tooth from the gum

specifically : the breaking out of an exanthem or enanthem on the skin or mucous membrane (as in measles)

2

: something produced by an act or process of erupting: as

a

: the condition of the skin or mucous membrane caused by erupting

b

: one of the lesions (as a pustule) constituting this condition