burst 1 of 3

Definition of burstnext
1
as in to explode
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the turnover's crust burst when the filling expanded

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2
as in to shatter
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive finally burst the piñata open with one mighty swing of the bat

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3
as in to bulge
to be copiously supplied a young singer/dancer who seems to be bursting with energy and talent

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burst

2 of 3

noun

burst (forth)

3 of 3

verb (2)

as in to erupt
to develop suddenly and violently hives burst forth on the child's arms and face whenever she goes near that plant

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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 burst
Verb
On the other side was a small driveway bursting with star fruit and hibiscus flowers. David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025 City soon claimed the blueprint as their own, bursting through on goal on four occasions after sweeping moves. Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
Use large cultivars to back up smaller Japanese maples and smaller cultivars as a burst of color in the foreground. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025 Fortunately, Marty, posing as a federal agent here to arrest Lee for harassment, bursts through the One Well doors in the nick of time. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for burst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burst
Noun
  • The 50-year mortgage proposal came amid a flurry of posts from Pulte, a member of one of America’s most prominent homebuilding families, who was fresh off a Friday appearance at ResiDay, a residential real estate conference hosted by ResiClub.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Prospect Avenue was renamed Hollywood Boulevard, and a flurry of tony hotels, palatial theaters and glitzy boutiques opened along the stretch between Vine Street and Highland Avenue.
    Oren Peleg, HollywoodReporter, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Local media also reported that several explosions were heard before the fire began.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Jonathan Taylor’s offensive explosion helped push the Indianapolis Colts past the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in the first NFL regular-season game in Berlin, 31-25, in overtime.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Whereas Balle’s first two books are inward and meditative, her third witnesses an eruption of politics.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
  • In 2022, debris from an underwater volcanic eruption severed the island's only subsea communication cable, cutting the island off from the rest of the world.
    Magdalena Petrova, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • These outbursts send radiation and charged particles hurling into space and can disrupt communications on Earth if the flare erupts from an Earth-facing sunspot.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 5 Nov. 2025
  • This outburst was mysterious at the time and remains mysterious.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Everything is dark around us, but the collision itself is a source of energy and the flash of it lights us up.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The storm has strengthened into the equivalent of a Category 4 Hurricane and is expected to hit central Vietnam Thursday night — an area that hasn’t yet recovered from disastrous flash flooding and landslides caused by weeks of record rainfall and successive storms.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes, they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.
    Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 28 Oct. 2025
  • After two hours of high-speed, eardrum-bursting laps around the winding track, Verstappen proved victorious, with McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finishing in second and third, respectively.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Tiller, who made three straight 3-pointers amid a 12-0 spurt that gave KU its biggest lead of the game (10 points), did not score in the second half.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Some of those demands might arrive soon, according to Morris, as north Phoenix and nearby areas have seen a spurt in development related to the new Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company plant and an ongoing race to meet growing housing demand in the Phoenix area.
    Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Owned by Randy Clement, his life partner, April Langford, and Emely Cubias, the bar became one of the few businesses that remained standing in the aftermath of the blaze.
    Esther Tseng, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Nov. 2025
  • John’s wife, Heather Millican, and their two children, ages 3 and 8, were able to escape the blaze and were outside the home when firefighters arrived, officials added.
    Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Burst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burst. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.

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