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.
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:
By following Swift J1727.8−1613 through an entire outburst, astronomers were able to observe nearly the full cycle of feeding, transformation, and expulsion.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026
Taken aback by Gavriel’s fiery outburst, Yair asks in disbelief, “why can’t we live side by side in peace?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The pitcher and batter didn’t acknowledge the outburst, although Wrobleski’s pitch ended up in the dirt for a full count.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
Meloni's evident shock at Trump's outburst comes after a series of incidents that have weakened what had begun as a close political relationship.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
I prayed he wouldn't have an outburst and spray tomato sauce all over us, but I was happy he got to eat something.
From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds
Aurore Berge, minister against discrimination, also denounced the "repeated racist outbursts".
From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026
There are no explosive revelations, gotcha moments, dramatic confessions, or theatrical outbursts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
At its brightest, it reached a luminosity of approximately 3 × 1049 erg s-1, making it one of the brightest instantaneous outbursts ever recorded in the Universe.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026
Many in the audience are especially captivated by Jadoodoo, who is known for emotional outbursts and keyboard-smashing reactions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
And believe it or not, he was pretty good, even with the occasional outbursts that, for me, had become so normal that it was like they weren't even happening.
From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
