What does outbursting mean?
“Outbursting” is the present-participle form of the verb “outburst,” meaning to burst out suddenly and forcefully. It is especially used for the expression of intense feelings such as laughter, anger, grief, or joy. The form is particularly natural in sentences that emphasize an action taking place at the same time as another event, as in “outbursting with laughter.” It can also suggest a forceful or uncontrolled release of emotion, giving it a slightly dramatic or literary tone. Although “outburst” can function as a noun, “outbursting” is verbal and should not be confused with that noun form. In ordinary conversation, speakers may choose the more familiar phrasing “bursting out,” but “outbursting” can add emphasis and a sense of sudden emotional release.
verbThe act of bursting out suddenly and forcefully, especially with strong emotion or energy. As a present participle, it usually describes an action that is happening at the same time as another event.
- To burst out suddenly and forcefully, especially as a result of strong emotion.
"The children stood by the window, outbursting with laughter when the clown appeared."
"He was outbursting with anger after discovering the damage."
"The audience responded by outbursting in applause and cheers."
One small word can capture the moment when a carefully contained feeling suddenly breaks free.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does outbursting come from?
The word “outburst” combines the prefix “out-” with “burst,” a word inherited from Germanic languages and related to older forms such as “bursten.” The compound “outburst” developed the sense of a sudden outward expression of emotion or energy. Its present-participle form, “outbursting,” follows the ordinary English pattern of adding “-ing” to the verb “outburst.”
Related word forms
How outbursting is actually used
This is a present-participle form of “outburst” and is most natural when the action is continuing or occurring simultaneously. It is somewhat literary and less common in everyday speech than “bursting out.”
Easily confused with outbursting
“Outburst” is the noun for a sudden expression of strong feeling, whereas “outbursting” is the verb form describing the act of expressing it.