outbreaks

noun

plural of outbreak
1
as in flurries
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 insurrections
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of outbreaks The outbreak has surpassed Congo's 16 previous outbreaks in scale and is on track to top the 2014-2016 West Africa regional outbreak that killed 11,000 people. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026 Over the past two years, nine states have experienced outbreaks that regulators have linked to raw dairy. — Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 8 Oct. 2026 The use of bifenthrin increased in 2023 because of cotton pest outbreaks. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026 Nearly half the illnesses in these outbreaks are in children—who are particularly vulnerable to foodborne pathogens. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 Oct. 2026 Since the beginning of last year, large outbreaks have been reported in several states, including Texas and Utah, as well as South Carolina, which had been the largest with 997 cases reported. — Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026 What readers are saying The conversation explores the impact of political and personal beliefs on public health, particularly in relation to measles outbreaks. — Leana Wen, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026 Health officials emphasized the probe is not focused on a cooling tower, unlike prior outbreaks across the city, and added this is not a community cluster investigation and there is no risk to the surrounding area. — Nicole Alarcon, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 Federal health officials say their data on dengue outbreaks is limited. — Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreaks
  1. flurries
  2. insurrections
  3. bursts
  4. revolts
  5. outbursts
  6. uprisings
  7. rebellions
  8. mutinies
Noun
  • The flurries of pigment inside them were dispersed by bursts of air delivered through the base of the box.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Macaday said some higher elevations in California have already seen flurries over the past month and a half.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of flurries
Noun
  • There were rebellions, insurrections and an Appian Way lined with crucifixions.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
  • But the regime, besieged by insurrections across the country, abandoned Manbij.
    — Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of insurrections
Noun
  • Cue the lovelorn weeping in the rain set to composer Roger Goula’s supple string score, and before us, a sweeping love epic bursts alive with real pain.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The machine generated about a dozen or so graphs, marked by human figures and bursts of colors that denoted energy fields, broken down by organ—and even tooth.
    — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of bursts
Noun
  • His teeth desert his mouth; his digestion revolts; his heart appears frequently to announce its forthcoming resignation.
    — Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Voice had been exercised repeatedly at annual general meetings, say-on-pay revolts had forced concessions and proxy advisors had opposed management with escalating frequency.
    — Albana Vrioni, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of revolts
Noun
  • The cause of their displeasure has to do with scenes woven throughout that illustrate how Baldwin got his reputation for angry outbursts – confrontations with paparazzi through the years, for instance.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
  • As a result, military children and teenagers may experience social withdrawal, angry outbursts and mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
    — Nikki R Wooten, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of outbursts
Noun
  • From 1896 to 1897, the region experienced what would come to be known as the First Chimurenga, a period of uprisings by the Indigenous Ndebele and Shona people against colonial policies.
    — Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
  • There were, of course, more people protesting than in 1848, the first modern wave of uprisings, known as the Springtime of the Peoples.
    — Rachel Nolan, The New York Review of Books, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of uprisings
Noun
  • Before, the two forces had been allies, working together to crush rebellions in Darfur, but also pro-democracy movements that sprung up after the ouster of Sudanese dictator Omar Al-Bashir in 2019.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Throughout this season, Camille and her conversations with The Algorithm make mention of other rebellions.
    — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of rebellions
Noun
  • That mobility occasionally allowed for communication and coordination during mutinies.
    — Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
  • This includes leader assassination attempts by political opponents or lone wolves or mutinies by disgruntled soldiers who might even march on the presidential palace to demand higher pay, promotions or other policy concessions.
    — John Joseph Chin, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2025
Definition of mutinies

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Cite this Entry

“Outbreaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreaks. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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