outburst

out·burst
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US/ˈaʊ̯tˌbɝst/UK/ˈaʊ̯tˌbɜːst/US/ˌaʊ̯tˈbɝst/UK/ˌaʊ̯tˈbɜːst/

noun

An intense period of activity.

“an outburst of anger”

Similar
firestormupheavalexplosionblastspateeffusiongushblowup
Opposite
inburst
OriginMiddle English outbersten →
Less commonScrabble 10
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Meanings

nounoutburst (plural outbursts)

plural outbursts

  1. An intense period of activity.

    The man greeted us with an outburst of invective.

  2. A sudden, often violent expression of emotion

    an outburst of anger

    Synonyms: firestorm, upheaval

verboutburst (third-person singular simple present outbursts, present participle outbursting, simple past and past participle outburst)

present singular third person outbursts · participle present outbursting

  1. intransitiveTo burst out.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA sudden, often violent expression of emotion

Similar
firestormupheaval
Similar
explosionblastspate
Opposite
inburst

More synonyms by meaning

nounan unrestrained expression of emotion

Similar
effusiongushblowupebullition
Broader
expressionmanifestationreflection

nouna sudden intense happening

Similar
burstflare-up
Broader
happeningoccurrenceoccurrent

nouna sudden violent disturbance

Similar
tumultuous disturbance
Broader
disturbance
Also see
blazeburstebullitioneffusionflare-upgushhissy fitoncomeoutbreakpandemonium

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishoutbersten
  2. Englishoutburst

Inherited from Middle English outbersten, outbresten. Cognate with Dutch uitbarsten (“to erupt; burst out”), German ausbersten (“to burst out; erupt”). By surface analysis, out- + burst.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian изблик
  • изблик (izblik)a sudden expression of emotion
Catalan desencadenament, rampell
  • desencadenamenta sudden expression of emotion
  • rampella sudden expression of emotion
Esperanto eksplodo
  • eksplodoa sudden expression of emotion
Finnish tunteenpurkaus
  • tunteenpurkausa sudden expression of emotion
French transport
  • transporta sudden expression of emotion
Italian esplosione, scoppio
  • esplosionea sudden expression of emotion
  • scoppioa sudden expression of emotion
  • scroscioa sudden expression of emotion
Māori rukenga, rukenga riri
  • rukengaa sudden expression of emotion
  • rukenga riria sudden expression of emotion
Polish wybuch, eksplozja
  • wybucha sudden expression of emotion
  • eksplozjaa sudden expression of emotion
  • przypływa sudden expression of emotion
Portuguese surto
  • surtoa sudden expression of emotion
Russian вспы́шка, взрыв
  • вспы́шка (vspýška)a sudden expression of emotion
  • взрыв (vzryv)a sudden expression of emotion
Scottish Gaelic maoim
  • maoima sudden expression of emotion
Spanish arranque, arrebato
  • arranquea sudden expression of emotion
  • arrebatoa sudden expression of emotion
  • arrechuchoa sudden expression of emotion
  • prorrumpimientoa sudden expression of emotion
  • arrebatamientoa sudden expression of emotion
Tagalog silakbo
  • silakboa sudden expression of emotion
Ukrainian вибух, спалах
  • вибух (vybux)a sudden expression of emotion
  • спалах (spalax)a sudden expression of emotion

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

subtutor
Cite this entry
APA

outburst. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outburst

MLA

“outburst.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outburst. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “outburst,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outburst.

Source: outburst on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.