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
ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
One of the devices caused a ventricular rupture, or tear in the heart muscle, that also required surgery.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026
Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Because of this, an ectopic pregnancy can rupture, which can damage or destroy internal organs and can lead to the loss of a fallopian tube.
—Emily Brindley
health Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rupture
Noun
Five months earlier, heavy rains and flooding caused a pipeline rupture and a spill, also in Veracruz, that extended for 8 kilometers (5 miles) along the Pantepec River.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
One of the devices caused a ventricular rupture, or tear in the heart muscle, that also required surgery.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
The loudest sound ever produced is said to be the 1883 eruption of the volcanic island of Krakatoa, which was estimated to be 310 decibels, which ruptured eardrums 40 miles away and could be heard as far as 3,000 miles away.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Because of this, an ectopic pregnancy can rupture, which can damage or destroy internal organs and can lead to the loss of a fallopian tube.
—Emily Brindley
health Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rupture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rupture
Noun
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Vonn suffered a complex tibia fracture and other major damage.—
Tribune News Service,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
-
After Chourio had experienced discomfort recently, an MRI revealed a small hairline fracture at the base of the third metacarpal.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But Mallach did not disagree that the event had usefully exposed a rift in the community.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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The split reflects a broader rift within conservative media.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On their first night in Guangzhou, while Joost was in the private shower attached to their room, Martha pulled her money pouch from the recesses of her pack and counted her traveller’s checks.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
For the Canucks, Nikita Tolopilo was beaten four times on 11 shots before getting pulled early in the second.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The escalating tensions came into sharp focus March 27, when animosity between GOP lawmakers in the two chambers of Congress burst dramatically into view.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Lendeborg today feels like an overnight sensation, bursting on the scene in his maize-and-blue out of nowhere.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But last week, what may have been cracks in the picture-perfect presentation of this demographic of Utah women became a major fissure when a 2023 video of Paul throwing metal barstools at her ex-partner, Dakota Mortenson, while her child is in the room surfaced online.—
Elizabeth Gulino,
Allure,
26 Mar. 2026
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The measurement donnybrook is the latest fissure between Nielsen and its media client base.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The schism runs through a deceptively simple assumption.—
Paul M. Sutter,
Scientific American,
27 Mar. 2026
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The history of religion, with its thousands of schisms and reformations, is full of pilgrims who, rather than discard their relationship with their sacred text, have found purpose, clarity, and community through defiance.—
Séamas O'Reilly,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some Native American tribes refer to the April full moon as the breaking ice moon, the frog moon, the sucker moon and the budding moon of plants and shrubs.—
Hali Smith
March 31,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Mar. 2026
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How to break the car rental rage cycle Don't get mad.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Israeli media said cluster munitions, which explode mid-air and scatter bomblets across a wide area, were used in the attack.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
However, once the existence of dark energy was revealed, the activity of theorists in these arenas simply exploded, with many variants and parametrizations becoming popular or fashionable at various times.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rupture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rupture. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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