rupture 1 of 2

noun

Definition of rupturenext
1
as in fracture
an opening caused by the sudden tearing or breaking of something The earthquake created a rupture that spanned several miles. Doctors identified a rupture in his aorta.

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2
as in rift
the loss of good relations The incident caused a diplomatic rupture between the two countries. They've been working to mend the rupture in their relationship.

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rupture

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to fracture
to cause to develop a hole, crack, or tear often in a sudden and forceful or violent way She was out for the rest of the season after she ruptured a tendon.

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2
as in to burst
to develop a hole, crack, or tear often in a sudden and forceful or violent way The pipeline ruptured, leaking thousands of gallons of oil. The fault could rupture during the next major earthquake. High blood pressure caused the blood vessels to rupture.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rupture
Noun
There have been earthquakes of this magnitude in the past that ruptured different segments of very long faults, creating the appearance of two different earthquakes but that were actually ruptures from the same event. — Sylvain Barbot, The Conversation, 26 June 2026 The rupture, Schmitz said, raced up from the valley down to the sea, where movement was transferred to the San Sebastián fault, which separates the Caribbean plate from the South American plate. — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2026
Verb
The first time was during the 2024 playoffs, when Finch ruptured his patellar tendon during Game 4 of a first-round series against the Phoenix Suns. — Jason Quick, New York Times, 23 June 2026 In 1857, the southern stretch of the San Andreas fault ruptured, resulting in the Fort Tejon earthquake, one of the largest in the state's history. — New Atlas, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rupture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rupture
  1. fracture
  2. rift
  3. pull
  4. burst
  5. fissure
  6. schism
  7. break
  8. explode
Noun
  • Will Robinson allegedly suffered a thumb fracture and elbow and back injuries.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The Minnesota Twins’ Ryan Jeffers, out with a hamate bone fracture, is clearly the best catcher available, and there isn’t a close second.
    — Will Sammon, New York Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of fracture
Noun
  • Trump later dropped it, but still threatened tariffs against those who opposed his grab — deepening the rift.
    — Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • With Harry's anticipated return to the UK this week, much interest surrounds the very public royal rift and many are wondering if the brothers will reunite.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of rift
Verb
  • Fire alarms sounded after a resident pulled the alarm, prompting crews to evacuate buildings as a precaution.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Sorloth played high, facilitating Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard to rotate wide and pull deeper to get on the ball.
    — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of pull
Verb
  • However, the extravagant nature of such spending appears to be a bubble that has now burst, especially given the obvious failure to build a domestic talent pool.
    — Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • When fire crews arrived on scene, the fire had consumed multiple rooms and had burst through the roof of one of the three hotel buildings.
    — Bryce Buyakie, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • The fissure was visible before the war.
    — Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 19 June 2026
  • So, too, does the idea that a soccer coach could close fissures that even the well-meaning among career politicians have failed to seal.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 18 June 2026
Definition of fissure
Noun
  • The Vatican said dialogue was offered to the ​group ahead of the schism and that the step of ordaining ​bishops without ⁠church approval was considered so grave that excommunication was automatic.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • Parishioners at Saint Agnes said they were saddened by the schism and would continue to pray for a united church.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of schism
Verb
  • Historic heat Since Thursday, heat in the East has broken at least three dozen daily high temperature records, many warmest-low-temperature records as heat reached levels that some cities haven’t experienced in more than a decade.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • The lead secured, Switzerland shifted to a five-man midfield out of possession, snuffing out the space and challenging the Algerians to play through it, but Petkovic’s charges struggled to break their opponents down.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of break
Verb
  • With no natural predators and the ability to breed year-round, their populations have exploded over the decades.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • In early January 2025, weeks after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down on the streets of New York City, a monstrous wildfire exploded in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
    — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 5 July 2026
Definition of explode

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Cite this Entry

“Rupture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rupture. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rupture

Nglish: Translation of rupture for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rupture

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