outbreak
noun
out·break
ˈau̇t-ˌbrāk 
1
a
: a sudden or violent increase in activity or currency
the outbreak of war
b
: a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease
an outbreak of measles
c
: a sudden increase in numbers of a harmful organism and especially an insect within a particular area
an outbreak of locusts
2
Examples of outbreak in a Sentence
there was an immediate outbreak of paper shuffling and a pretense of work when the supervisor passed through the room
the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2024, while still dealing with fires carried over from the previous year, the nation fared only slightly better, experiencing its worst outbreak of wild blazes since 1995, excluding 2023.
—
Alana Wise, NPR, 30 May 2025
But then, just months after starting at Harvard, news broke of a measles outbreak spreading in Brooklyn.
—Ashley Belanger – May 27, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2025
What To Know The Sunshine State experienced a construction boom in the years following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when a sudden surge in demand encouraged builders to build more new homes than anywhere else in the country.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
Eureka Day School in Berkeley, California, when a mumps outbreak forces the board of directors to issue a vaccine mandate.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
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Alana Wise, NPR, 30 May 2025
But then, just months after starting at Harvard, news broke of a measles outbreak spreading in Brooklyn.
—Ashley Belanger – May 27, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2025
What To Know The Sunshine State experienced a construction boom in the years following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when a sudden surge in demand encouraged builders to build more new homes than anywhere else in the country.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
Eureka Day School in Berkeley, California, when a mumps outbreak forces the board of directors to issue a vaccine mandate.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Cite this Entry
“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outbreak. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outbreak
noun
out·break
ˈau̇t-ˌbrāk
1
: a sudden increase in activity, use, or acceptance
the outbreak of war
2
: something (as an epidemic or revolution) that breaks out
an outbreak of measles
Medical Definition
outbreak
noun
out·break
ˈau̇t-ˌbrāk
1
: a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease
an outbreak of measles
2
: a sudden increase in numbers of a harmful organism and especially an insect within a particular area
an outbreak of locusts
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