burst

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/bɜːrst/
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Sudden breaking open by pressure, sudden energetic movement or emotion, and short intense releases of sound, light, activity, or force.
Practice using burst in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • The burst balloon lay under the table.
  • A water main burst under the street.
  • A burst pipe flooded the basement.
  • The soldiers heard a short burst of gunfire.
  • The seed pod bursts when it dries.

Similar words

split
rupture
break
surge
overflow with
cracked
shatter
teem
surge
abound

Meanings

Break open suddenly

verb
physical
neutral
To break open, split, or fly apart suddenly, often because pressure has built up inside.

Examples

  • The balloon burst when it touched the nail.
  • A water main burst under the street.
  • The tire burst on the motorway.
  • The seed pod bursts when it dries.
  • The pressure made the tank burst.
  • The dam burst after days of heavy rain.
  • A blood vessel burst behind his eye.

Similar words

rupture
split
break
explode
pop
shatter
crack

Move or appear suddenly

verb
movement
neutral
To come, go, or appear with sudden force, speed, or energy.

Examples

  • She burst into the room without knocking.
  • Sunlight burst through the clouds.
  • The runners burst from the starting line.
  • He burst out of the lift and ran down the hall.
  • The band burst onto the stage.
  • Flames burst from the windows.
  • The story burst into the news overnight.

Similar words

rush
charge
erupt
springsurge
emerge
explode

Begin suddenly from emotion

verb
emotion
neutral
To start crying, laughing, singing, speaking, or applauding suddenly because feeling can no longer be held back.

Examples

  • She burst into tears after the call.
  • The children burst out laughing.
  • The audience burst into applause.
  • He burst into song on the walk home.
  • The room burst into cheers.
  • I nearly burst out laughing in the meeting.
  • The crowd burst into angry shouts.

Similar words

erupt
explode
break out
start
cry out
shout
cheer

Be extremely full

verb
everyday
neutral
To be so full of something, such as food, feeling, energy, or information, that it seems close to overflowing.

Examples

  • She was bursting with pride.
  • I am bursting to tell you the news.
  • The suitcase was bursting at the seams.
  • The market was bursting with fresh fruit.
  • He felt as if he would burst after dinner.
  • The file is bursting with useful data.
  • Her diary was bursting with plans.

Similar words

overflow
brim
bulge
teem
swell
abound
overflow with

Short sudden release

noun
event
neutral
A short, sudden period or release of energy, sound, light, activity, or feeling.

Examples

  • A burst of laughter came from the kitchen.
  • The runner found a final burst of speed.
  • A sudden burst of rain soaked the crowd.
  • The screen flashed with a burst of color.
  • The radio crackled with a burst of static.
  • The soldiers heard a short burst of gunfire.
  • She worked in quick bursts of concentration.

Similar words

outburst
eruption
flare
surge
spurt
flash
blast

Rupture or broken place

noun
physical
neutral
A rupture, split, or damaged place where something has broken open.

Examples

  • The engineer found the burst in the old pipe.
  • A burst in the hose sprayed water over the lawn.
  • The tyre had a small burst near the rim.
  • They traced the flood to a burst in the main line.
  • The pressure test revealed a hidden burst.
  • A burst in the tank wall forced an evacuation.
  • The crew marked the burst before replacing the section.

Similar words

rupture
split
break
crack
tear
breach
fracture

Broken open by pressure

adjective
physical
neutral
Broken open, split, or torn by sudden pressure or force.

Examples

  • A burst pipe flooded the basement.
  • The mechanic replaced the burst tire.
  • The burst balloon lay under the table.
  • A burst seam opened along the bag.
  • The doctor treated a burst blood vessel.
  • The crew removed the burst hose.
  • Water poured from the burst main.

Similar words

ruptured
split
broken
torn
cracked
blown
damaged

Etymology

From Old English berstan, later Middle English bersten, meaning to break suddenly. The same root also gave forms for cracking or splitting in several Germanic languages.

FAQ

What does burst mean?

Burst means to break open suddenly, move or appear with force, release emotion at once, or happen in a short intense period.

What is the past tense of burst?

The usual past tense and past participle are both burst, as in the pipe burst yesterday and the balloon has burst.

Is bursted ever correct?

Bursted appears in some informal or dialect use, but standard English normally uses burst for the past tense.

What does burst into tears mean?

Burst into tears means to start crying suddenly because emotion can no longer be held back.

What does burst out laughing mean?

Burst out laughing means to begin laughing suddenly and strongly.

What is a burst as a noun?

A burst is a short sudden release or event, such as a burst of speed, laughter, rain, color, static, or gunfire.

Can burst be an adjective?

Yes. A burst pipe, tire, seam, or balloon has split open suddenly, usually because of pressure.

What is the difference between burst and explode?

Explode stresses a violent blast. Burst can mean that, but it also covers splitting open, rushing in, or sudden emotional release.

What are common synonyms of burst?

Common synonyms include rupture, split, explode, pop, erupt, surge, outburst, and flare.

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