1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
there was an immediate outbreak of paper shuffling and a pretense of work when the supervisor passed through the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in revolt
open fighting against authority (as one's own government)
the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outbreak
The Ontario, Chihuahua and Texas outbreaks stem from large Mennonite communities in the regions.
—
Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025
Together, the film characters dream of an outbreak that is at the same time inhibited by fear and self-shame.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 10 July 2025
Cholera can kill in a matter of hours After more than two years of full-scale armed conflict in Sudan, a raging cholera outbreak is putting already vulnerable children at further risk.
—Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
In Gaines County, Texas, the epicenter of the Texas outbreak, only 82% of kindergarteners were up-to-date with MMR vaccines.
—Devi Shastri, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025
Together, the film characters dream of an outbreak that is at the same time inhibited by fear and self-shame.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 10 July 2025
Cholera can kill in a matter of hours After more than two years of full-scale armed conflict in Sudan, a raging cholera outbreak is putting already vulnerable children at further risk.
—Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
In Gaines County, Texas, the epicenter of the Texas outbreak, only 82% of kindergarteners were up-to-date with MMR vaccines.
—Devi Shastri, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
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The singer announced the surprise album less than 12 hours before its release, with billboards and a flurry of Instagram posts signaling its arrival.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
11 July 2025
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Conflicting accounts from workers and federal officials have raised a flurry of questions as DHS officials say their agents were shot at.—
Michelle Krupa,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
Noun
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The succession of scandals crescendoes to cause internal revolt.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
4 July 2025
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During the English Civil War in 1642, the medieval crown jewels were destroyed as a symbol of revolt against the monarchy.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Discover Magazine,
30 June 2025
Noun
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The galaxy can be seen undergoing a burst of star formation thanks to the tidal influence of a galactic neighbor, with the glowing red form of an emission nebula visible throughout, giving the impression of a cosmic firework display.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
13 July 2025
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This act of formality did not prevent an easy atmosphere from developing in our classrooms; there were frequent bursts of laughter.—
Brooke Allen,
New Yorker,
12 July 2025
Noun
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Those dismissed include two attorneys who worked as supervisors overseeing the Jan. 6 prosecutions in the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington as well as a line attorney who prosecuted cases stemming from the Capitol riot and insurrection, the people said.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
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Once the security forces started killing and torturing enough protesters, the demonstrations, which did spiral into insurrections in 2017 and 2019, petered out.—
ERIC EDELMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
20 June 2025
Noun
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Willi Castro belted a solo shot off Hodge to make it 5-0, Lewis singled in a run, and Harrison Bader completed the six-run outburst with a two-run homer of his own off Hodge.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
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For its part, the Kremlin has played down any suggestion that President Trump’s recent critical outburst has had much impact.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Intifada is an Arabic word for uprising, and in a Palestinian context usually refers to two periods of violence between Israeli authorities and Palestinian militant groups and demonstrators.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
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The interim government has banned the Awami League party and amended relevant laws to allow the trial of the former ruling party for its role during the uprising.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
10 July 2025
Noun
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The voyage is exhausting beyond expectations, with hunger and mutiny pushing the crew to their limits.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
9 May 2025
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Along the way, the exhausting voyage involved various mutinies and crew deaths, and upon reaching the islands of the Malayan Archipelago, Magellan’s mind and ambitions changed.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
18 May 2025
Noun
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The final season picks up right where season 2 left off, with the deadly games resuming after Seong Gi-hun’s failed rebellion and Hwang Jun-ho continuing his search for the elusive island.—
Regina Kim,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
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Luckily, the late ’70s and the early ’80s helped reframe that perception, loosening the bounds of traditional beauty standards amid the era of punk rebellion.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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