Synonyms

erupt

American

[ih-ruhpt] / ɪˈrʌpt /

verb (used without object)

to burst forth.

Molten lava erupted from the top of the volcano.

Synonyms:

vent
(of a volcano, geyser, etc.) to eject matter.
to break out of a pent-up state, usually in a sudden and violent manner.

Words of anger erupted from her.
to break out in a skin rash.

Hives erupted all over his face and hands.
(of teeth) to grow through surrounding hard and soft tissues and become visible in the mouth.

verb (used with object)

to release violently; burst forth with.

She erupted angry words.

Synonyms:

vent
(of a volcano, geyser, etc.) to eject (matter).

erupt British

/ ɪˈrʌpt /

verb

to eject (steam, water, and volcanic material such as lava and ash) violently or (of volcanic material, etc) to be so ejected
(intr) (of a skin blemish) to appear on the skin; break out
(intr) (of a tooth) to emerge through the gum and become visible during the normal process of tooth development
(intr) to burst forth suddenly and violently, as from restraint

to erupt in anger

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of erupt

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin ēruptus “burst forth, broken out” (past participle of ērumpere ), equivalent to ē- “out of, from” + ruptus, past participle of rumpere “to break, rupture”; see origin at e- ¹, rupture

Explanation

A rash, a volcano, applause, violence, all of these are things that are prone to erupt, meaning they suddenly become active. The word erupt has origins in the Latin word eruptus, the past participle of erumpere, meaning to burst forth. This lively verb can be used to describe anything that is released in a quick, violent burst, such as a bomb exploding or lava spewing forth from a volcano or even laughter. It can also be used to describe the arrival of things that burst through more quietly (but often more painfully), such as a skin condition or a tooth that’s breaking through one's gum.

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Vocabulary lists containing erupt

Make a Break for It: Rupt

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The confrontation did not erupt all at once.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

Storms often erupt simultaneously across giant cloud belts that circle the planet, making it difficult to determine which storm produced each signal.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2026

They erupt in a chorus of cheers and gasps as they watch paper fortunes being made and erased in seconds.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

And erupt Hearts did in this frantic contest at Motherwell.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

They moved apart awkwardly Oprah was on the TV in the den and she heard the audience erupt in applause.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023