outburst

/ˈaʊtbɜːst/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈaʊtbɜːrst/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈau̇t-ˌbərst/ (ame, mw)

outburst — noun

  • outburstsingular
  • outburstsplural

1. a situation in which someone suddenly expresses a very strong feeling, such as a

1.名詞B2
釋義

a situation in which someone suddenly expresses a very strong feeling, such as anger or frustration, in a loud or forceful way, often because they can no longer control it

例句

Diego's angry outburst at the monthly team meeting upset several of his colleagues.

angry outburst + at + [location]

The child's emotional outburst came after she had been ignored by the adults for over an hour.

emotional outburst after prolonged cause

同義詞
  • eruption

    more dramatic and less common in everyday speech; suggests stronger, more explosive emotion

  • explosion

    suggests sudden, violent release; often with anger; slightly more informal

  • flare-up

    suggests a brief, intense episode that quickly ends; slightly informal

反義詞
  • calm

    the state of being quiet and in control of one's feelings

  • composure

    the ability to remain calm and in control

文法句型

an outburst of + emotion (anger, rage, laughter, tears)

have/experience an outburst

verbal/emotional/angry outburst

用法筆記

Often used with a possessive adjective (his/her outburst) or in the pattern 'outburst of + emotion word' (outburst of rage, outburst of laughter). The emotion is usually negative (anger, frustration) but can be positive (laughter, joy).

常見錯誤

❌There was an outburst of the disease in the village.
✅There was an outbreak of the disease in the village.
💡'outburst' is for emotions; 'outbreak' is for diseases or fires.

2. a short period during which a specific activity, feeling, or type of behaviour s

2.名詞B2
釋義

a short period during which a specific activity, feeling, or type of behaviour suddenly grows much stronger or more common

例句

The city experienced an outburst of creative energy when the new arts centre opened its doors.

outburst of + [abstract noun]: creative energy

Akira noted an outburst of interest in traditional ceramic techniques among young potters in Kyoto.

同義詞
  • surge

    more common for measurable quantities; suggests a powerful forward movement

  • spike

    suggests a sharp rise visible on a graph; common in data and statistics contexts

  • upsurge

    slightly more formal; implies a significant, noticeable increase

反義詞
  • decline

    a gradual decrease in amount or activity

  • drop

    a sudden or steep reduction

文法句型

an outburst of + activity/interest/creativity/violence

outburst in + [field/area]

用法筆記

Unlike Sense 1, this sense does not describe a person's emotional expression. The subject is usually an abstract phenomenon (crime, investment, interest). Frequently used with 'of' followed by an abstract noun.

常見錯誤

❌There was an outburst in sales last quarter.
✅There was a surge in sales last quarter.
💡'outburst' sounds like a short, dramatic event; 'surge' is more natural for business data.

3. a sudden powerful release of matter or energy from inside a planet, a structure,

3.名詞C1
釋義

a sudden powerful release of matter or energy from inside a planet, a structure, or a container, such as lava from a volcano, gas from a mine, or radiation from an explosion

例句

The volcanic outburst buried three nearby villages under a thick layer of ash and rock.

volcanic outburst — specific geological context

Scientists detected a sudden outburst of methane gas from the old mining tunnel beneath the hill.

outburst of + [substance]: methane gas

同義詞
  • eruption

    the standard term for volcanic activity; more precise in geology

  • discharge

    technical term for release of gas or liquid; neutral in register

  • release

    more general; lacks the implication of violence

文法句型

volcanic outburst

outburst of + substance (gas, lava, radiation)

用法筆記

This sense belongs to technical or formal registers, especially in geology and physics. In everyday conversation, Sense 1 is far more common. When referring to volcanoes, 'eruption' is the standard word; 'outburst' emphasises the sudden, forceful quality.

常見錯誤

❌There was an outburst of lava from the volcano.
✅There was an eruption of lava from the volcano.
💡'eruption' is the standard term for volcanic activity; 'outburst' is used here for dramatic effect but sounds unnatural.