1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
there was an immediate outbreak of paper shuffling and a pretense of work when the supervisor passed through the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in revolt
open fighting against authority (as one's own government)
the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outbreak
Egg prices have reached record highs in recent months as bird flu outbreaks have hit poultry farms and forced producers to cull tens of millions of hens.
—
Madeleine Ngo, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Bird flu outbreaks were cited as the major cause of price spikes in January and February after more than 30 million egg-laying chickens were killed to prevent the spread of the disease.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
The measles outbreak is concentrated in the southwestern part of Kansas, with the disease spreading to two additional counties over the past two weeks.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2025
What To Know On Wednesday, AccuWeather meteorologists said in an advisory that recent tornado outbreaks in the Midwest and Southeast were behind the dramatic spike in activity, which has significantly surpassed the typical average of 260 tornadoes by early April.
—Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Madeleine Ngo, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Bird flu outbreaks were cited as the major cause of price spikes in January and February after more than 30 million egg-laying chickens were killed to prevent the spread of the disease.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
The measles outbreak is concentrated in the southwestern part of Kansas, with the disease spreading to two additional counties over the past two weeks.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2025
What To Know On Wednesday, AccuWeather meteorologists said in an advisory that recent tornado outbreaks in the Midwest and Southeast were behind the dramatic spike in activity, which has significantly surpassed the typical average of 260 tornadoes by early April.
—Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
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All in all, that was a good response by the Razorbacks to the Aggies' early flurry of runs.—
Matt Jones,
Arkansas Online,
18 Apr. 2025
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Grapevine has a flurry of talent including junior catcher Gianni Corral, an uncommitted recruit who was previously committed to Texas A&M. Outfielder Zachary Goldstein, also a junior, is a scrappy speedster with a knack for getting on base.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Listen to this article Nearly a year after record heat and surging electric bills sparked a ratepayer revolt, the legislature is set to take up a bill that could cut hundreds of millions of dollars from customer rates by restructuring how the state buys energy and how customers pay for it.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2025
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The longtime leader of the latter group, George Gresham, is said to personally support endorsing Mr. Cuomo but is facing a broader revolt within his union.—
Nicholas Fandos,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The transformed Hidden Jungle aviary bursts with hundreds of butterflies each spring, attracting butterfly enthusiasts from across the region.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2025
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An 8-year-old Utah boy jumping on a trampoline miraculously survived after a strong wind burst sent him several feet into the air.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Yet the movement was deeply involved in a dramatic example of recent political violence: the January 6 insurrection, during which four people died and more than 100 police officers were injured.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2025
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One of his first acts as president was to pardon those responsible for the Jan. 6 insurrection.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In some cases, the person may exhibit sudden emotional outbursts or changes in temperament.—
Brigid Dwyer,
Verywell Health,
15 Apr. 2025
-
The seven-goal outburst on Saturday vs. Washington gives the Jackets 254 goals.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Alaa Abd El-Fattah was a leading activist in the country’s 2011 uprising.—
Mounira Elsamra,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2025
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Many of the demonstrators in this 1852 uprising in Guovdageaidnu (a city known to Norwegians as Kautokeino) were subsequently imprisoned, and some died behind bars.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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It has been used to punish mutinies and desertion in armies, as frontier justice in America's Old West and as a tool of terror and political repression in the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
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An article on Sunday about a small mutiny at Chautauqua Institution misidentified the writer of a letter quoted from The Gadfly.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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For years, Bitcoin stood as a symbol of rebellion—a decentralized answer to central banks, inflationary currencies, and overreaching governments.—
Max (Chong) Li,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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What may have seemed like a lighthearted act of rebellion struck a chord with many disillusioned job seekers, fed up with outdated hiring practices and a job market increasingly filtered through artificial intelligence.—
Arick Wierson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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