Meaning & use
sudden burst of speed
Last updated
Meaning
phrasecountable
a short, unexpected increase in how fast someone or something moves
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a sudden burst of speed' or 'sudden bursts of speed'.
Patterns
- a sudden burst of speed
- with a sudden burst of speed
- make a sudden burst of speed
The runner made a sudden burst of speed in the final lap.
With a sudden burst of speed, the car overtook the truck.
The cyclist's sudden burst of speed surprised everyone.
Common combinations
- make a sudden burst of speed
- The horse made a sudden burst of speed and won the race.
- with a sudden burst of speed
- He passed the other players with a sudden burst of speed.
- a sudden burst of speed
- There was a sudden burst of speed from the back of the pack.
- sudden burst of energy
- After resting, she had a sudden burst of energy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- spurt
- A spurt is a short, sudden increase in speed or activity, often used for liquids or effort; it is more informal and shorter than 'sudden burst of speed'.
- surge
- A surge is a strong, sudden forward or upward movement, often used for crowds or electricity; it suggests more force than a burst of speed.
Opposites
Commonly confused: sudden burst of speed or speed burst?
sudden burst of speed vs speed burst
Not a common phrase in English; use 'sudden burst of speed' instead.
Practice
The cyclist made a sudden burst of ______ to win the race.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'a sudden burst of speed'. 'Speedy' is an adjective and cannot follow 'of' here; 'speeds' is plural and does not fit the singular phrase; 'speeding' is a gerund and does not mean the same.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sudden burst of speed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.