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

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 outbreak If confirmed, Kennedy would be in charge of overseeing a vast federal agency that manages the health care of some 170 million Americans, regulates access to drugs and vaccines, and tracks urgent outbreaks of diseases and foodborne illnesses. Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025 This includes bird flu outbreaks, which reportedly have affected American livestock, caused human infections, and even raised grocery prices. Bonny Chu, Fox News, 29 Jan. 2025 Since January of last year, when cases related to this outbreak were first reported, two people have died. Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 29 Jan. 2025 These outbreaks range from 20 to more than 800 victims, with fatality rates of over 30% in some instances. Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for outbreak 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
  • Lawmakers from both parties respond to the president’s flurry of executive orders.
    The Editors, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2025
  • The order is among a flurry of executive actions Mr. Trump has quickly taken the first week of his second term.
    Jamie Stengle, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • What holds back CEOs and political leaders is the same thing: fear, fear of bad headlines or big revolts.
    Axios, Axios, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Earlier in the year, the brief hiring and then firing of former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel sparked an on-air revolt from MSNBC talent, including Maddow.
    Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • But over eight half-hour episodes (including a finale that’s twice that length), those momentary bursts of magic feel all too fleeting.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025
  • That was no problem for Netflix as Back in Action wasn't just filmed at Pinewood but action sequences were also shot on London's river Thames and at its barrier which prevents the city from flooding and bursts open in the film.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The violent insurrection overshadowed the final days of Trump's first term and seemed at the time almost certain to rule out any future bid for the presidency.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
  • The committee spent 18 months investigating Trump and the violent insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 20 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Page Six reported that the 58-year-old television chef had an outburst on Thursday, January 16, while shopping at Eataly NYC Downtown.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Speaking during his post-match interview on court, Medvedev appeared to be in good spirits and didn’t mention his outburst at the end of the third set.
    Ben Church, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The political uprising quickly turned into an armed insurrection.
    Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Assad’s particular brutality militarized Syria’s initially peaceful uprising, justifying an increasingly militant opposition to him.
    Fawaz A. Gerges, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Following the semi-successful mutiny in the final episode of season 1, Mark returns to the office to face punishment.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
  • There were some other problems early on as well, but what a difference a mutiny makes.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Some see hope in Trump’s return Jan. 19, 2025 Separately, law enforcement authorities are investigating whether Yoon and others committed rebellion, abuse of power and other crimes in connection with the martial law decree.
    Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
  • The four are made to watch a corporate propaganda video (voiced by Keanu Reeves), which depicts their season 1 rebellion in a positive light, a protest that improved the company for the better.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near outbreak

Cite this Entry

“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on outbreak

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!