burst into

Idioms  

1. Also, . Break out into sudden activity. For example, burst into flames means “break out in a fire,” as in This dry woodpile may well burst into flames . A version of this term, which dates from the 16th century, was used figuratively by John Milton: “Fame is the spur ... But the fair guerdon [reward] when we hope to find, and think to burst out into sudden blaze” ( Lycidas , 1637).

2. Also, burst out . Give sudden utterance to. For example, , etc. mean “begin suddenly to weep, laugh, sing,” and so on, as in When she saw him, she burst into tears , or I burst out laughing when I saw their outfits , or When they brought in the cake, we all burst into song . These terms have been so used since the late 1300s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

burst into

Minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 2117 had lifted from the runway, a phone and power bank sitting in a passenger’s lap burst into flames.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

I burst into tears whenever I see a vintage photo strip of gay men, kissing or looking lovingly at one another in the privacy of a photobooth.

From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026

On stage, however, the songs burst into life.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

Now, he is dealing with a concerning edict from the company that made it: keep the Jeep parked outside and away from his home, lest it burst into flames, even while turned off.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

The pang in my abdomen burst into glee.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas