# burst

> English word · Verb · IPA /bɝst/ · frequency rank #5,579

## Definitions
1. To break from internal pressure.
2. To cause to break from internal pressure.
3. To cause to break by any means.
4. To separate (printer paper) at perforation lines.
5. To enter or exit hurriedly and unexpectedly.
6. To erupt; to change state suddenly as if bursting.
7. To produce as an effect of bursting.
8. To interrupt suddenly in a violent or explosive manner; to shatter.

## Etymology
From Middle English bresten, bersten, from Old English berstan, from Proto-West Germanic *brestan, from Proto-Germanic *brestaną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰres- (“to burst, break, crack, split, separate”), enlargement of *bʰreHi- (“to snip, split”).
See also West Frisian boarste, Dutch barsten, Danish briste, Swedish brista; also Irish bris (“to break”)). More at brine. Also cognate to debris.

## Easily confused with
- **but** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-but)
- **bus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-bus)
- **busy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-busy)
- **bush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-bush)
- **butt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-butt)
- **bust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-bust)
- **buys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-buys)
- **bury** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-bury)
- **Burt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-burt)
- **buss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-buss)
- **busts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-busts)
- **busty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-busty)
- **busta** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burst-vs-busta)
- **bur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bur-vs-burst)
- **best** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-burst)
- **burn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burn-vs-burst)
- **bars** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bars-vs-burst)
- **bugs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bugs-vs-burst)
- **Bart** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bart-vs-burst)
- **buds** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buds-vs-burst)

## Common misspellings (8)
`bburst`, `brust`, `burrst`, `bursst`, `burstt`, `burts`, `busrt`, `ubrst`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/burst