outbreak

noun
UK: /ˈaʊtbreɪk/
US: /ˈaʊtbreɪk/

  1. A sudden start of something bad, like a disease or war.

    1. The outbreak of flu closed many schools last winter.
    2. The war started after the outbreak of violence near the border.

  2. A sudden and widespread occurrence of something unwelcome.

    1. The city dealt with an outbreak of food poisoning last month.
    2. There was a serious outbreak of rioting after the controversial verdict.

Synonyms

eruption flare-up burst sprout
outbreak intransitive-verb

  1. To start suddenly and violently.

    1. The fight outbreak after a heated argument at the bar.
    2. A serious epidemic can outbreak if precautions are not taken.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "outbreak" in English means: A sudden start of something bad, like a disease or war., A sudden and widespread occurrence of something unwelcome..

The phonetic transcription of "outbreak" is /ˈaʊtbreɪk/ in British English and /ˈaʊtbreɪk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "outbreak": eruption, flare-up, burst, sprout.

Example usage of "outbreak": "The outbreak of flu closed many schools last winter.". More examples on the page.