outburst
Americannoun
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outbursts
plural
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a sudden and violent release or outpouring.
an outburst of tears.
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a sudden spell of activity, energy, etc.
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a public disturbance; riot; outbreak.
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a bursting forth; eruption.
noun
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a sudden and violent expression of emotion
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an explosion or eruption
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of outburst
Explanation
When you can't help an angry shout or a burst of emotion, that's an outburst. A toddler's outburst might take the form of a full-blown temper tantrum. An outburst of passion or emotion can be angry words, a broken glass, or a triumphant whoop. There are also figurative outbursts, like the outburst of political enthusiasm within a particular group of voters, or an outburst of energy in the midst of a modern dance performance. The Middle English verb that proceeded outburst was outbresten.
Vocabulary lists containing outburst
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.
See Examples For:
When Swift detected an energetic outburst, it could rapidly redirect its telescopes toward the source and notify observatories around the world.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
His outburst may have been better received if he was still performing like last season, but ultimately he isn't.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
In 2016, Blair was removed from a plane on a stretcher after another outburst on a flight.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
The scene is a neat bookend to the “You can’t handle the truth” outburst elicited from Jack Nicholson’s Col.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
At this, there was an outburst of gaiety from all the assembled; and I was sensible that the delight of the evening enlivened my spirits as well as all of those seated around me.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
There may be other contributory factors to any outbursts — including fatigue, lack of sleep, hunger, thirst, pain, infection, medications, bodily functions and irregular routines, among other many variables.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
Amatya, the company’s acting chief executive, said the project was designed to survive intense, low-probability floods, but not glacial lake outbursts and catastrophic debris flows.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
As permafrost degrades, glacial lake outbursts and rock-ice avalanches are expected to increase, producing faster, debris-laden floods that are harder to forecast.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
There are no explosive revelations, gotcha moments, dramatic confessions, or theatrical outbursts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
Any attempt we make to oppose these outbursts of energy is tantamount to signing our death warrant.
From "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
