rup·ture
ˈrəp(t)-shər 
1
: breach of peace or concord
specifically
: open hostility or war between nations
2
a
: the tearing apart of a tissue
rupture of the heart muscle
rupture of an intervertebral disc
b
: hernia
3
: a breaking apart or the state of being broken apart
Examples of rupture in a Sentence
Noun
A rupture in the pipeline resulted in major water damage.
a rupture of an artery
an infection that could cause rupture of the eardrum
The conflict caused a rupture in relations between the former allies.
They're trying to heal the rupture in their relationship.
Verb
The pipe ruptured because of high water pressure.
High water pressure ruptured the pipe.
The impact ruptured his liver.
The scandal ruptured relations between the two countries.
The crime ruptured the peace of a small town.
Recent Examples on the Web
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
That intentional inscrutability makes the book excitingly capricious, reflecting how nations remember or untangle painful ruptures in their history.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
The explosion then ruptures the mall escalators, exposing their internal machinery, into which Lori Milligan (Shantel VanSanten) is pulled and then crushed.
—Gayle Sequeira, Vulture, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rupture
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Noun
The connection doesn’t end in a dramatic rupture but likely with an ambiguous withdrawal — ghosting, fading or a polite but unexplained exit.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
That intentional inscrutability makes the book excitingly capricious, reflecting how nations remember or untangle painful ruptures in their history.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
Verb
Just three games into Barca’s eventually successful attempt to wrest back the La Liga title from bitter rival Madrid, however, the teenager rupture his ACL and was ruled out for the rest of the term.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
The explosion then ruptures the mall escalators, exposing their internal machinery, into which Lori Milligan (Shantel VanSanten) is pulled and then crushed.
—Gayle Sequeira, Vulture, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rupture
Cite this Entry
“Rupture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rupture. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rupture
2 of 2 verb
ruptured; rupturing
Medical Definition
rupture
2 of 2 verb
ruptured; rupturing
-chə-riŋ, -shriŋ
: to produce a rupture in
rupture an eardrum
: to have or undergo a rupture
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