1
as in explodes
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
the turnover's crust burst when the filling expanded
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shatters
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
finally burst the piñata open with one mighty swing of the bat
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in flurries
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
a sudden burst of industriousness whenever the boss appeared
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2
as in explosions
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a burst of anger that startled the other members on the panel
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3
as in eruptions
the act or an instance of exploding
one burst after another could be heard in the distance
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bursts
Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 16 Oct. 2025
Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
As Antoine Semenyo chases a loose ball down the left flank, left-back Adrien Truffert bursts forward to support him inside.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Sedona Sedona is another popular fall break destination for many reasons, least of all being Oak Creek Canyon, which bursts with color during the autumn months.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As Alien fans know, the facehugger will impregnate its host with a Xenomorph embryo, which eventually bursts from the host's chest.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
The movie is a tour de force In IMAX, the format’s large screen and huge sound a perfect partner for the purple one’s charisma, which positively bursts off the screen.
—Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Third Thursdays bring the festive Art Walk, when the district bursts with local art, live music, and technicolor vibes.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2025
The same striped sole is used for the second variant, which bursts forth with more color via red suede and blue overlays.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
Operating for thousands of daily cycles over decades trumps quick bursts of power.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 6 Jan. 2026
Historically, tariffs haven’t resulted in big bursts of inflation, the studies from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and Northwestern University show.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026
That last goal was the best example of the difference pace can have as Frimpong bursts past two Wolves players before pulling the ball back.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
But the fact that every bubble bursts at some point doesn’t tell you anything about the timing.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
That will make the oncoming bursts of light seem less stark.
—Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 4 Jan. 2026
Fortunately, Marty, posing as a federal agent here to arrest Lee for harassment, bursts through the One Well doors in the nick of time.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Heat milk or your preferred milk alternative on the stove or in 30-second bursts in the microwave.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
Once a cushioned conduit to the other side, the casket now bursts with the wisdom of a life lived outside the box.
—Noun
After testing the interest of sports fans in short-form content, Disney aims to bring brief bursts to a broader audience.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for bursts
Verb
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Mike, Hopper, and everyone else who loves her can only stand there and watch as the bomb goes off and the exotic matter explodes.—
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But if the geological plumbing is clogged, perhaps by silica minerals or rock debris, the pressure can build until the water explodes, vaporizing into steam and shooting boiling water, mud, rocks, and other debris into the air.—
Verb
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Continue reading … RISE UP – Catholic conference shatters attendance records as 26,000 young people flock to faith event.—
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The drop shatters a plate from Andrew's mother's irreplaceable collection of heirloom china and prompts Andrew to fire Enzo.—
Verb
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Lean too hard, exceed a set speed threshold, or approach a hazard, and the seat buzzes to alert you.—
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Moments later, her phone buzzes with an alert.—
Noun
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Snow flurries were a hopeful sign in the early-morning hours on Wednesday, covering the road and giving a light, white blanket to the slopes.—
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In a tunnel of thick black smoke, flurries of glowing red embers raced across the road, out to sea.—
Noun
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The explosions caused secondary fires that torched neighborhoods, according to the suit.—
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Test explosions became increasingly rare.—
Noun
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The world often failed to use those political eruptions to actually improve the lot of the people in those countries.—
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On top of that, cosmic rays and the Sun's own eruptions can upset electronics.—
Verb
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Brother Dusk detonates explosives that shatter the cryonic chamber of Cleon clones, bodies raining down in blood and glass, before plucking a single embryo from the wreckage to bait Demerzel’s deepest programming.—
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Determined to finish the job, Dante detonates explosives on the dam itself.—
Verb
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Ben smashes chests and heads in, tears jaws out, rips faces off, and director Johannes Roberts makes sure to include brief close-ups of the carnage, lit just dimly enough to avoid truly grossing us out.—
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When Ben smashes a television set, perhaps Roberts is even making some sort of societal point.—
Cite this Entry
“Bursts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bursts. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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