outbreak

/ˈaʊtbɹeɪk/noun

The sudden start or rapid spread of something unpleasant, such as a disease.

Example sentences

“The town closed its schools during the flu outbreak.”
“Health officials traced the outbreak to contaminated lettuce.”

Reserved for bad things, disease above all; good news never gets an outbreak.

Synonyms for outbreak

flare-up
eruption
onset

Often confused with outbreak

outbreak vs outburst: outburst (noun): A sudden and forceful release of emotion or energy.

Related words

epidemicAn outbreak of disease that spreads rapidly and affects large numbers of people at the same time.virusA tiny germ, much smaller than bacteria, that gets into living cells and causes diseases such as colds and flu.pandemicA disease that spreads across many countries and infects a very large share of the population.bacteriaVery small living things, each made of a single cell, found almost everywhere; some cause disease and others are helpful.germA tiny living thing, such as a bacterium or virus, that can cause illness.quarantineA period of keeping people, animals, or plants separated from others to stop a disease from spreading.