eruption

noun

erup·​tion i-ˈrəp-shən 

1

a

: an act, process, or instance of erupting

b

: the breaking out of a rash on the skin or mucous membrane

2

: a product of erupting (such as a skin rash)

Synonyms

• agony
• blaze
• burst
• ebullition
• explosion
• fit
• flare
• flare-up
• flash
• flush
• gale
• gush
• gust
• outburst
• paroxysm
• spasm
• storm

Examples of eruption in a Sentence

a great eruption of glee as it suddenly dawned on her that she had won

the eruption of the volcano Krakatoa was one of the most violent in global history

Recent Examples on the Web

This clears the way for a jaw-dropping eruption from Khan, the sort of vocal bulldozing that Jackson, with his more delicate register, couldn’t match. —Elias Leight, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024

Last December, a surprise eruption at Mount Marapi in West Sumatra province killed two dozen climbers on their way up the up the nearly 9,480-foot mountain. —Reuters, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024

There is a chance for a minor geomagnetic storm Friday after an eruption on the sun’s surface earlier this week, according to NOAA, increasing the chance for the northern lights to move farther south. —Ty Roush, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024

The northern lights graced night skies across Wisconsin and the U.S. on Thursday night after an eruption of solar material caused the NOAA Space Weather Prediction to issue a severe geomagnetic storm watch. —Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing eruption

• creeping eruption
• post-eruption

Kids Definition

eruption

noun

erup·​tion i-ˈrəp-shən 

1

: an act, process, or instance of erupting

2

: a product (as a skin rash) of erupting

Medical Definition

eruption

noun

erup·​tion i-ˈrəp-shən 

1

: an act, process, or instance of erupting

the eruption of the tooth from the gum

specifically : the breaking out of an exanthem or enanthem on the skin or mucous membrane (as in measles)

2

: something produced by an act or process of erupting: as

a

: the condition of the skin or mucous membrane caused by erupting

b

: one of the lesions (as a pustule) constituting this condition