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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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
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Recent Examples of rupture
Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The lines had sat unused since 2015, when a pipe rupture caused one of the state’s largest oil spills.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Josh Gross, Daily News, 23 Apr. 2026
Further investigation showed that the baby had suffered a skull fracture, ruptured blood vessels in her eyes, brain bleeding and swelling.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rupture
Noun
Having already undergone four surgeries, White said the percentage of a rupture was less than 1%.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The lines had sat unused since 2015, when a pipe rupture caused one of the state’s largest oil spills.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
Entering the fray for the first time since rupturing his Achilles tendon last summer, center back and captain Aaron Long replaced Nkosi Tafari, who started and played through the final whistle in each of the club’s previous 14 matches, playing 45 minutes.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 23 Apr. 2026
Further investigation showed that the baby had suffered a skull fracture, ruptured blood vessels in her eyes, brain bleeding and swelling.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rupture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rupture
Noun
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Grealish’s time at Everton had gone well, for the most part, before the foot fracture in January that ended his season.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
Previously, a bone fracture would have meant certain death.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Charles and Camilla's visit is being framed as a chance to repair a rift between two countries with historically deep ties.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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The deeper the rifts between the United States and Europe over Iran, the greater the chances of weakening the NATO alliance.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The only question was which lever Brown would pull to save his team’s season in the first round of the playoffs.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
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All of which is great news for Adam Silver and everyone else pulling a paycheck from the league.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the teen’s case, five large keloids abruptly burst from her chickenpox scars, breaking out in different places on her body—on her right jaw, chest, abdomen, and right flank.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
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Amazon’s sale section is bursting with stellar deals this weekend — and these budget-friendly picks are no exception.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Eyes on the primary runoff The Democratic race doesn't feature notable policy splits along the lines of the progressive-moderate fissures that have opened around the country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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The ledges are broken by crevices and fissures, and loose rocks of all sizes lie on them and below them.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Coming up in the nineteen-sixties, his childhood coincided with a schism in Black politics.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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By yesterday, the administration had decided to give the country through the weekend to resolve its regime schism.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The film broke records for the best box office performance for a biopic in North America in its opening weekend and made $314 million worldwide in its first weekend in theaters.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
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For travelers looking to break a sweat, there is a gym with two Pelotons, a handful of treadmills, and weights—plus a small outdoor space for yoga.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Walks have exploded under new ABS system With the introduction of challenges, MLB had to essentially redefine the strike zone to ensure that the tracking system would consistently and accurately measure what actually is a strike or ball.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Freedom from nonstop sound effects Some ballparks are worse than others, but the trend of teams that pump up the volume and inject sound effects between pitches, similar to an NBA game, is exploding.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rupture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rupture. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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