burst

1 of 2

verb

burst also bursted; bursting

intransitive verb

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
a
: to emerge or spring suddenly
burst out of the house
burst onto the scene
burst into flames
b
: launch, plunge
burst into song
4
: to be filled to the breaking point
bursting with excitement
a crate bursting with fruit

transitive verb

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

burst

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a sudden outbreak
a burst of flames
especially : a vehement outburst (as of emotion)
b
: explosion, eruption
a burst of violence
c
: a sudden intense effort
a burst of speed
d
: the duration of fire in one engagement of the mechanism of an automatic firearm
bursts of machine-gun fire
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)
Phrases
burst at the seams
: to be larger, fuller, or more crowded than could reasonably have been anticipated

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
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
Of course, on this sunny Sunday about a month ago, there was no flying gravel, no bursting tires or broken axles, and certainly nobody exceeding the 30 mph speed limit. Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025 The pipeline bursting is the latest painful incident in a city with a long history of infrastructure problems. Annalise Frank, Axios, 18 Feb. 2025
Noun
This can cause those magnetic fields to collide and release energetic particles close to the speed of light, giving off bright bursts of radiation that are ejected outward, similar to that of a solar flare from the sun, Yusef-Zadeh says. Chandelis Duster, NPR, 20 Feb. 2025 Since 2022, the marathon’s energy and variety has sprawled over a weekend and a borough, with a burst of performances at spaces around Brooklyn. New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for burst

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bersten, from Old English berstan; akin to Old High German brestan to burst

Noun

derivative of burst entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of burst was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Burst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burst. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids 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 noun
1
: a sudden release or effort
a burst of speed
2
: a firing of many shots at the same time

More from Merriam-Webster on burst

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