burst also bursted; bursting
1
: to break open, apart, or into pieces usually from impact or from pressure from within
the balloon burst
the pipes burst
2
a
: to give way from an excess of emotion
my heart will burst
b
: to give vent suddenly to a repressed emotion
burst into tears
burst out laughing
3
4
: to be filled to the breaking point
bursting with excitement
a crate bursting with fruit
1
: to cause to burst
burst a balloon
2
a
: to force open (something, such as a door or a way) by strong or vigorous action
b
: to flood over
the river burst its banks
3
: to produce by or as if by bursting
1
2
: an act of bursting
the burst of a bubble
a burst of confidence
3
: a result of bursting
had the plumber fix the burst
especially, firearms
: a visible puff accompanying the explosion of a shell (see shell entry 1 sense 9b)
Synonyms
Examples of burst in a Sentence
Verb
Two of the water pipes burst.
He burst a blood vessel.
The doors suddenly burst open.
The cops burst the door open.
He burst into the room.
The sun burst through the clouds.
She burst through the door and yelled “Surprise!”.
Noun
She ran hard in short bursts toward the end of the race.
the burst of a bubble
Recent Examples on the Web
Alexandria Nyembwe, Phd, Rn, Health, 6 Nov. 2024
Members of the band then burst through the door with a galvanizing musical salute that saw audiences cheer and clap along with jovial captivating.
—Sam Falb, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024
Fred Sassani, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
After an initial burst of excitement, a lot of those new toys aren’t seeing much playtime, experts say.
—Anna North, Vox, 18 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for burst 
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.
Verb
With a hemorrhagic stroke, a blood vessel in the brain suddenly bursts and causes bleeding in the brain.28
Long-Term Effects Vary
If a heart attack isn't treated quickly, the lack of blood flow can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle.
—Alexandria Nyembwe, Phd, Rn, Health, 6 Nov. 2024
Members of the band then burst through the door with a galvanizing musical salute that saw audiences cheer and clap along with jovial captivating.
—Sam Falb, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
Interval training is simply alternating between different short bursts of activity.
—Fred Sassani, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
After an initial burst of excitement, a lot of those new toys aren’t seeing much playtime, experts say.
—Anna North, Vox, 18 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for burst
Dictionary Entries Near burst
Cite this Entry
“Burst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burst. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
burst
1 of 2 verb
burst; bursting
1
a
: to break open or in pieces (as by an explosion from within)
the balloon burst
buds bursting open
b
: to cause to burst
2
a
: to suddenly show one's feelings
burst into tears
b
: to begin to do something suddenly
burst into song
3
: to come or go suddenly
burst into the room
4
: to be filled to the breaking point
just bursting with energy
burst
2 of 2 noun1
: a sudden release or effort
a burst of speed
2
: a firing of many shots at the same time
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share