outburst
gb/ˈaʊtbˌɚst/ us/ˈaʊtbˌɚst/
B2
English
~ 8400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
event
1
sudden strong show of feeling
A very strong feeling, usually anger, that comes out suddenly and does not last long.
Usage pattern:
an outburst of [emotion]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *outburst* for slow or long-lasting emotions, saying things like *a long outburst of sadness*. An outburst must be sudden and short, so it is better to say *a period of sadness* or *a long time of feeling sad*. Another mistake is to use *outburst* as a verb (e.g., *he outbursted*); the correct verb is *he burst out* or *he had an outburst*.
Synonyms
flare-up (Often suggests anger or conflict that returns suddenly, sometimes in an ongoing situation, while an outburst can be a single, standalone event.)
|
eruption (More vivid and dramatic than outburst; can sound more figurative or literary in everyday emotional contexts.)
Antonyms
self-control (Emphasizes holding emotions in and behaving calmly, which is the opposite of suddenly expressing them in an outburst.)
|
calm response (Describes a controlled, quiet reaction instead of a sudden and strong show of feeling.)
Collocations
angry outburst
|emotional outburst
|outburst of anger
|outburst of laughter
|violent outburst
|temper outburst
Themes
emotions
|communication
|relationships
Examples
- His angry outburst shocked everyone in the meeting.
- She later apologized for her emotional outburst during the argument.
- The comedian’s joke caused an outburst of laughter from the audience.
- After several small comments, he finally had an outburst of anger.
- The child’s sudden outburst in the supermarket embarrassed his parents.
Learner examples
- He had an outburst of anger and shouted at his friend.
- Her outburst surprised us because she is usually very quiet.
- The movie was so funny that there was an outburst of laughter.
- The teacher stayed calm during the student’s loud outburst.
- After his outburst, the room became very quiet.
Noun
C1
event
2
sudden rise in activity
A short time when something, often something bad, suddenly happens much more than usual.
Usage pattern:
an outburst of [activity]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with the emotional sense and say things like *an outburst of people* or *an outburst of cars*. Use it with types of activity or events (violence, protests, creativity), not with simple concrete things.
Synonyms
eruption (Often used in news or formal writing for sudden violence or conflict; slightly more dramatic than outburst.)
|
upsurge (Focuses on the rise in amount or level and can last longer; *outburst* suggests something sharper and shorter.)
Antonyms
lull (Refers to a quiet or calm period with little activity, opposite to a sudden burst of activity.)
|
decline (Emphasizes a downward trend in activity, whereas an outburst is a sudden spike upward.)
Collocations
outburst of violence
|outburst of fighting
|outburst of protests
|outburst of creativity
|sudden outburst
|brief outburst
Themes
society
|violence
|events
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The speech was followed by an outburst of protests in the capital.
- Police were deployed after a sudden outburst of violence in the area.
- The artist experienced an outburst of creativity and finished three paintings in a week.
- The country has seen an outburst of nationalism in recent years.
- After the scandal, there was an outburst of criticism on social media.
Learner examples
- There was an outburst of violence after the game.
- The city had an outburst of protests last month.
- He had an outburst of creativity and wrote many songs.
- An outburst of fighting started in the streets.
- The law caused an outburst of angry comments online.
Noun
technical
C2
event
3
sudden release from star or earth
In science, a short, sudden time when a star, the sun, or the earth sends out much more energy, light, or material than usual.
Usage pattern:
an outburst of [energy/light/material]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this is the same as the everyday emotional meaning. In scientific texts, *outburst* almost always describes physical energy, radiation, or material, not human feelings.
Synonyms
eruption (Common in geology and astronomy; often overlaps in meaning, but *outburst* is more frequent in some space-science writing for sudden brightness or radiation changes.)
Antonyms
quiescence (Technical term for a quiet, inactive state of an astronomical or geological object, opposite to a sudden active outburst.)
Collocations
stellar outburst
|X-ray outburst
|gamma-ray outburst
|solar outburst
|volcanic outburst
|eruptive outburst
Themes
science
|space
|nature
Examples
- Astronomers observed a powerful X-ray outburst from the binary star system.
- The comet’s sudden outburst made it visible to the naked eye.
- The data suggest that the source undergoes regular outbursts every few years.
- The volcanic outburst released large amounts of ash into the atmosphere.
- A brief gamma-ray outburst was detected by the space telescope last night.
Learner examples
- Scientists saw an outburst of light from the star.
- The volcano had an outburst and sent ash into the sky.
- The sun sometimes has an outburst of energy.
- The space telescope recorded an outburst from a distant galaxy.
- This comet showed an outburst and became brighter.
Grammar
Dictionary form
outburst
IPA
GB/ˈaʊtbˌɚst/
US/ˈaʊtbˌɚst/
Syllables & stress
out - burst (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (out)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: outburst
- Plural: outbursts
Word family
Forms
outbursts
noun
Related words
burst
verb B1
Expressions
an outburst of anger
1/ən ˈaʊtbˌɚst əv ˈæŋɡɚ/
fixed phrase
sudden strong show of anger
A very strong and sudden feeling of anger that someone shows.
Examples
- His rude comment led to an outburst of anger from the crowd.
- After hours of pressure, she finally had an outburst of anger at her coworkers.
- The decision caused an outburst of anger among local residents.
an outburst of laughter
1/ən ˈaʊtbˌɚst əv lˈæftɚ/
fixed phrase
sudden loud burst of laughter
A sudden loud laugh, often from many people at the same time.
Examples
- Her unexpected answer caused an outburst of laughter in the room.
- There was an outburst of laughter when he slipped on the stage.
- The joke was so silly that it produced an outburst of laughter from the children.
an outburst of violence
1/ən ˈaʊtbˌɚst əv vˈaɪələns/
fixed phrase
sudden short period of violence
A short time when many violent acts suddenly happen in a place.
Examples
- The city experienced an outburst of violence after the verdict.
- Officials are trying to understand what caused the recent outburst of violence.
- Tourists were warned to avoid the area following an outburst of violence there.
emotional outburst
1/ɪmˈoʊʃənəl ˈaʊtbˌɚst/
fixed phrase
sudden uncontrolled show of emotion
A time when someone suddenly shows strong feelings in an uncontrolled way, for example by shouting or crying.
Examples
- The teacher tried to stay calm during the student’s emotional outburst.
- She is working with a therapist to manage her emotional outbursts.
- Parents were worried about their son’s frequent emotional outbursts at school.
temper outburst
1/tˈɛmpɚ ˈaʊtbˌɚst/
fixed phrase
child’s sudden angry behavior
A time when a child suddenly gets very angry and cries, shouts, or hits things.
Examples
- The book gives advice on how to handle a child’s temper outburst in public.
- She ignored his temper outburst, and he calmed down more quickly.
- Frequent temper outbursts may be a sign of stress in young children.
violent outburst
1/vˈaɪələnt ˈaʊtbˌɚst/
fixed phrase
sudden act of aggression
A sudden act of shouting, hitting, or showing strong feelings in an uncontrolled way.
Examples
- He had a violent outburst during class.
- The man was arrested after a violent outburst on the train.
- Her violent outburst shocked everyone at the meeting.
- His violent outburst damaged several pieces of furniture in the apartment.
- Doctors are concerned about his history of sudden violent outbursts.