burst
burst
Burst (verb) means to break open suddenly, often from internal pressure. Example: “The overfilled bag burst open as soon as he lifted it.”
verb
1
To break open suddenly, often from internal pressure.
"The overfilled bag burst open as soon as he lifted it."
"The balloon burst with a loud pop."
"A pipe burst in the basement during the freeze."
2
To move suddenly and forcefully, especially entering or exiting.
"The children burst out of the school gates at half past three."
"Two dogs burst through the hedge and raced across the garden."
"She burst into the room, breathless with news."
noun
1
A sudden, brief outbreak or surge of something.
"There was a short burst of rain just before lunch."
"A burst of laughter came from the back of the class."
"The sprinter finished with a final burst of speed."
How to use burst
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo break open suddenly, or a short, sudden surge of something (energy, noise, activity).
Common pairings
burst into tears
burst into flames
a burst of energy
burst a pipe
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Word forms
- Plural
- bursts
- Third person singular
- bursts
- Past tense
- brast, bursted, bursten
Fill the gap
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The overfilled bag _____ open as soon as he lifted it.
Etymology
From Old English "berstan," tracing back to a Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to burst, break, or split."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for burst
See all rhymes for burst →Frequently asked questions
What does “burst” mean?
The word “burst” means to break open suddenly, often from internal pressure. In plain terms, to break open suddenly, or a short, sudden surge of something (energy, noise, activity).
How do you pronounce “burst”?
“Burst” is pronounced burst (/bɝst/ in IPA).
How do you use “burst” in a sentence?
Here is “burst” used in a sentence: “The balloon burst with a loud pop.”
What part of speech is “burst”?
Depending on how it is used, “burst” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “burst” come from?
The word “burst” comes from Old English. From Old English "berstan," tracing back to a Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to burst, break, or split.".
Is “burst” a common word?
“Burst” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “burst” have?
“Burst” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to break open suddenly, often from internal pressure.
What is the past tense of burst?
Burst is an irregular verb whose form does not change: the base, past tense, and past participle are all 'burst' (as in 'the pipe bursts today', 'the pipe burst yesterday', and 'the pipe has burst'). Forms such as 'bursted' are considered nonstandard in modern English.
What is the difference between burst and bust?
Burst means to break open suddenly from internal pressure, such as a balloon or a pipe, and keeps the same spelling in the past tense. Bust is a more informal word that can mean to break, smash, or raid, and it takes the past form 'busted'. In everyday careful writing, burst is preferred for things splitting open.
What is the difference between burst into and burst out?
Both phrases describe a sudden, forceful action, but they usually pair with different words. 'Burst into' often precedes a noun, as in 'burst into tears' or 'burst into the room', while 'burst out' commonly precedes a verb, as in 'burst out laughing' or 'burst out crying'.
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