Meaning & use

erupt

verb·Everyday

To burst out suddenly and often violently, especially describing a volcano releasing lava and ash.

See it in a sentence

The volcano erupted without warning, sending ash miles into the sky.

The crowd erupted in cheers when the home team scored in overtime.

A note on using this word

Erupt is used literally for volcanoes and geysers and figuratively for sudden outbursts of emotion, noise, or violence.

Words with a similar meaning

explodeburst

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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