burst
B2Neutral - used across formal, informal, spoken and written contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To break open or apart suddenly and violently, often with an internal force causing the rupture.
To emerge or appear suddenly and with great energy; to be filled to the point of breaking; to suddenly express a strong emotion.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a sudden, often dramatic release of energy, pressure, or emotion. Can describe both physical rupture and metaphorical emergence or expression.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The primary difference is the prevalence of the phrasal verb 'burst out' (laughing/crying) slightly more common in UK English. US English may use 'bust' informally for some meanings where UK retains 'burst'.
Connotations
Similar in both variants. Connotes suddenness and lack of control.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK English according to corpus data, but a common word in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[S] burst (intransitive)[S] burst [O] (transitive)[S] burst into + NP (e.g., laughter)[S] burst out + V-ing (e.g., laughing)[S] burst with + NP (e.g., pride)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “burst at the seams”
- “burst someone's bubble”
- “burst onto the scene”
- “burst into bloom”
- “burst your buttons”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically: 'The tech startup burst onto the market.' or 'The housing bubble burst.'
Academic
Used in scientific contexts (physics, biology): 'The cell burst under osmotic pressure.'
Everyday
Very common: 'The balloon burst.', 'She burst out laughing.', 'I'm bursting to tell you the news.'
Technical
Engineering/Physics: 'Pipe burst due to pressure.', 'Burst strength of a material.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The pipe burst during the cold snap.
- He nearly burst with excitement at the news.
- The dam burst after days of heavy rain.
American English
- The tire burst on the highway.
- She burst into the room without knocking.
- I'm bursting to tell you what happened.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable. 'Burst' is not standardly used as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable. 'Burst' is not standardly used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The burst pipe flooded the kitchen.
- He showed me the burst balloon.
American English
- We need to repair the burst water main.
- She cleaned up the burst bag of flour.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The balloon burst.
- She burst into tears.
- The bubble burst.
- The water pipe burst last winter.
- He burst out laughing at the joke.
- I ate so much I feel like I'm going to burst.
- The athlete burst onto the international scene last year.
- The financial bubble finally burst, causing a crisis.
- Sunlight burst through the clouds.
- The dam burst, unleashing a torrent of water onto the valley.
- He was bursting with ideas for the new project.
- A burst of machine-gun fire echoed through the streets.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BURSt of energy making a water balloon BURST.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION IS A PRESSURIZED FLUID IN A CONTAINER (e.g., 'bursting with joy', 'burst into tears').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'burst' for slow leaks or gradual openings (use 'leak', 'drip', 'open').
- Russian 'лопнуть' is a close equivalent for physical bursting, but for emotional 'bursting', English uses specific patterns ('burst into', 'burst out').
- Do not confuse with 'break' which is more general; 'burst' is specifically sudden and from internal pressure.
Common Mistakes
- *I bursted the balloon. (Correct: I burst the balloon.) - 'burst' is often irregular (burst-burst-burst).
- *He burst in laugh. (Correct: He burst out laughing / He burst into laughter.) - Incorrect preposition/gerund pattern.
- Using 'burst' for a deliberate cutting action (use 'cut open' or 'slash').
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'burst' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, in standard English, the principal parts are 'burst' (present), 'burst' (past), 'burst' (past participle). 'Bursted' is considered non-standard, though occasionally seen in informal contexts.
'Burst into' is followed by a noun (burst into tears/flames/song). 'Burst out' is followed by an -ing verb (burst out laughing/crying/screaming). They are often interchangeable for emotions (burst into tears / burst out crying).
Yes. While often associated with negative rupture, it can be positive: 'burst into bloom', 'burst with pride', 'burst onto the scene' (successfully), 'a burst of applause'.
It is neutral. It is perfectly acceptable in formal writing (e.g., 'the economic bubble burst'), but its simplicity also makes it common in everyday speech. It does not have an inherently informal feel.