erupt
Americanverb (used without object)
-
erupts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
erupted,
past participle, past
-
erupting
present participle
-
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)
-
erupts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
erupted,
past participle, past
-
erupting
present participle
-
to release violently; burst forth with.
She erupted angry words.
- Synonyms:
- vent
-
(of a volcano, geyser, etc.) to eject (matter).
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
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
eruptionnoun
-
preeruptverb (used without object)
-
reeruptverb (used without object)
-
eruptibleadjective
-
uneruptedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
eruptsimple
-
eruptssimple
-
have eruptedperfect
-
has eruptedperfect
-
am eruptingprogressive
-
are eruptingprogressive
-
is eruptingprogressive
-
have been eruptingperfect progressive
-
has been eruptingperfect progressive
Past
-
eruptedsimple
-
had eruptedperfect
-
was eruptingprogressive
-
were eruptingprogressive
-
had been eruptingperfect progressive
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.
Vocabulary lists containing erupt
Make a Break for It: Rupt
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 11
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
But these days, the two brothers are very much outsiders—playing the role of agitators in the kind of drama that can erupt in wealthy families as sizable fortunes filter down through the generations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
"Males are the only pigs whose upper tusks erupt through the snout bone and curve back towards their face."
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Scientists know that these systems can erupt more than once, but the processes that allow them to accumulate vast quantities of magma remain poorly understood.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026
While the two sides have voiced differences over some issues including Tehran's claims to charge fees, there is a growing expectation that the conflict would not erupt again.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
Troubled spirits walk those lands—storms erupt out of nowhere.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
He then erupts in flames twice his height, dark smoke billowing.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
In “Young Men and Fire” he vividly narrates how a wildfire the crew initially expected to control suddenly erupts into a “blowup,” a wall of flame racing uphill faster than the young men can run.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
"The atmosphere is amazing. Every single time a team wins the whole stadium erupts, and it's just amazing."
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
And as for the showstopping pelican, the frog erupts out of its beak right on cue, a moment that indeed inspires a round of laughter and childlike awe.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
A purple fireball erupts from his candle, but I only see it in my peripheral vision, because we’re face-to-face now.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
A furore erupted this month after a researcher publicly resigned from leading AI firm Anthropic over fears that the technology could escape human control.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
That water then helped generate magma, which eventually rose, erupted through volcanoes, and cooled into rocks that have survived for billions of years.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
And as Bhangra beats blared out, fans erupted with cheers while Dosanjh launched into his biggest hits, from G.O.A.T. to Lover.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
A brush fire erupted Wednesday afternoon along the 405 Freeway, threatening homes, a university and the Getty Center, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
The walruses grunted nervously and erupted into a stampede, with Roz caught in the middle.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
Within hours of erupting, the fire bore down on homes around the popular resorts of Siviri and Fourka, which are packed with summer tourists.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
The towering volcano on the Italian island of Sicily is the most active in Europe, erupting several times a year, yet scientists have never fully understood how it formed.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
Similar clashes are erupting nationwide as communities wrestle with privacy rights and the rapid spread of AI-enabled cameras.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
The inciting conflict simmered for decades, starting in the late 14th century, before erupting into a series of civil wars lasting more than 30 years.
From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026
If something was about to happen, if Mount St. Helens was showing signs of erupting, they would know.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
