What is burst? Pronunciation and usage in English

burst means . Learn how to pronounce and use burst through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of burst

burstverb

/bəːst/
Definition & pronunciation of burst

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "burst" in English. It's a tricky one because it's a common source of mispronunciation! Here's a breakdown:

The Correct Pronunciation:

The most accurate pronunciation is: BURST (rhymes with "dust")

Let's break it down syllable by syllable:

  • BUR: This part sounds like the beginning of the word "burn." It's a short, sharp "uh" sound – like "burr" but shorter.
  • ST: This is a "st" sound, pronounced like the "st" in "stop" or "best."

Here's a more detailed breakdown and some helpful tips:

  1. The Vowel Sound: The key is the vowel sound in "BUR." It's not like the "ur" in "burn." It's short and neutral. Think of saying "bur" without any extra emphasis.

  2. The "t" sound: The "t" is a light, quick tap of the tongue against the roof of your mouth. Don't let it be a drawn-out 't'.

  3. Linking the Syllables: Once you've nailed the "bur" sound, the "st" just blends right into it.

Common Mispronunciations & Why They're Wrong:

  • BURST (like "burst" in "burst bulb"): This is the most common mistake. It adds an unnecessary "uh" sound before the "st."
  • BURST (like "burst" in "bursted"): This adds an extra syllable and makes the word sound awkward.

Resources to Listen:

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • Where are you from? (Pronunciation can vary slightly by region.)

Usage and examples with the word burst in English

Let's break down how to use the word "burst" in English. It's a really versatile word with several different meanings! Here's a breakdown, categorized for clarity:

1. As a Verb (Action - To suddenly explode or release something):

  • Exploding with energy/emotion: This is probably the most common usage.

    • “She burst into laughter.” (Suddenly started laughing)
    • “He burst with excitement when he got the news.” (He was filled with excitement)
    • “The crowd burst into cheers.” (Suddenly started cheering)
    • "The children burst with joy on Christmas morning."

  • Exploding with something physical:

    • “A burst of steam escaped from the pipe.” (A sudden release of steam)
    • “The dam burst, flooding the valley.” (The dam broke open, releasing water)
    • “His eyes burst with tears.” (Tears suddenly overflowed)
    • “A burst of confetti rained down at the celebration.” (Confetti flew out suddenly)

  • Entering forcefully:

    • “He burst into the room.” (He entered the room quickly and without knocking)
    • “The police burst onto the scene.” (The police arrived suddenly and forcefully)

2. As a Noun (The act of bursting):

  • A sudden, forceful release:
    • “There was a burst of color.” (A sudden, bright flash of color)
    • “He suffered a burst blood vessel.” (A blood vessel ruptured)
    • “The tyre burst during the race.” (The tyre exploded)

3. Figurative Uses (Not literal explosions – more about intensity):

  • A sudden, strong feeling:

    • “A burst of anger filled him.” (He suddenly felt very angry)
    • “There was a burst of inspiration.” (He had a sudden, brilliant idea)

  • A brief, intense period:

    • "The artist's career had a burst of popularity before fading away." (A quick period of fame)

Key Considerations & Tips:

  • Context is crucial: As you can see, "burst" changes meaning slightly depending on the situation. Pay attention to the surrounding words to understand its precise meaning.
  • Adverbs: “Burst suddenly,” “burst violently,” “burst abruptly” are common ways to modify how the action is performed.
  • Synonyms: Depending on the meaning, consider using words like: explode, erupt, release, overflow, appear, spring.

Examples Combining Different Usages:

  • "She burst into tears, a burst of remorse flooding her face." (Both a verb – burst into tears, and a noun - a burst of emotion)
  • "The fireworks display produced a spectacular burst of light." (Noun – burst of light)

Resources to Learn More:

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • What kind of context are you thinking about using "burst" in? (e.g., writing a story, having a conversation, studying for a test?)

Synonyms for the word burst

Idioms of the word burst

be bursting/bulging at the seams
(informal)to be very full, especially of people
  • Los Angeles is bursting at the seams with would-be actors.
  • The film is bursting at the seams with good performances.
be bursting to do something
to want to do something so much that you can hardly stop yourself
  • She was bursting to tell him the good news.
the bubble bursts
there is a sudden end to a good or lucky situation
  • When the bubble finally burst, hundreds of people lost their jobs.
  • The optimistic bubble has now burst and economists agree the recession will continue.
burst somebody’s bubble
to bring an end to somebody’s hopes, happiness, etc.
  • He seemed so happy, I couldn’t burst his bubble so soon.
burst open | burst something open
to open suddenly or violently; to make something open in this way
  • The door burst open.
  • Firefighters burst the door open and rescued them.

Practice with vocabulary burst

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. The balloon ______ with a loud pop when it touched the sharp edge of the table.
  2. She couldn’t contain her excitement and ______ into laughter during the meeting.
  3. The sudden noise made everyone in the room ______ to attention.
  4. After hours of heavy rain, the dam ______ open, flooding the nearby fields.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. Which word means a sudden, intense release of energy or emotion?
    a) Burst
    b) Explode
    c) Release
    d) Leak

  2. What did the bubble do when it touched the needle?
    a) Floated
    b) Burst
    c) Expanded
    d) Dropped

  3. Which of the following words can replace "erupt" in this sentence: "The volcano might ______ at any moment"?
    a) Burst
    b) Collapse
    c) Erode
    d) Melt

  4. What is the best word to describe a sudden, loud sound?
    a) Whisper
    b) Bang
    c) Murmur
    d) Hum

  5. Which word does NOT fit in this sentence: "The crowd ______ into applause after the performance"?
    a) Burst
    b) Broke
    c) Shifted
    d) Erupted

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. Original: The pipe broke and water shot out everywhere.
    Rewrite: The pipe burst, sending water everywhere.

  2. Original: She suddenly started laughing uncontrollably.
    Rewrite: She burst into uncontrollable laughter.

  3. Original: The crowd erupted into cheers when the team scored.
    Rewrite: The crowd broke into cheers when the team scored.

Answer:

Exercise 1:

  1. burst
  2. burst
  3. snap
  4. burst

Exercise 2:

  1. a) Burst, b) Explode
  2. b) Burst
  3. a) Burst
  4. b) Bang
  5. c) Shifted

Exercise 3:

  1. The pipe burst, sending water everywhere.
  2. She burst into uncontrollable laughter.
  3. The crowd broke into cheers when the team scored.

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