English · Word Candidate

outbreak

/ˈaʊtbɹeɪk/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: outbreaks · outbreaking · outbroke · outbroken

Sense 1

Meaning · English

An eruption; the sudden appearance of a rash, disease, etc.

Noun

Any epidemic outbreak causes understandable panic.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

A sudden increase.

Noun

There has been an outbreak of vandalism at the school.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

To burst out or break forth.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “outbreak” mean?

An eruption; the sudden appearance of a rash, disease, etc.

Is “outbreak” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.