rupture

[ruhp-cher]

noun

1. the act of breaking or bursting.

   The flood led to the rupture of the dam.

2. the state of being broken or burst.

   a rupture in the earth's surface.

   Synonyms: burst, split, break, fracture
   Antonyms: union, seam

3. a breach of harmonious, friendly, or peaceful relations.

4. Pathology.,  hernia, especially abdominal hernia.

verb (used with object)

ruptured, rupturing 

1. to break or burst.

   He ruptured a blood vessel.

   Synonyms: disrupt, split, fracture
   Antonyms: unite

2. to cause a breach of.

   to rupture friendly relations.

3. Pathology.,  to affect with hernia.

verb (used without object)

ruptured, rupturing 

1. to suffer a break or rupture.

rupture

/ ˈrʌptʃə /

noun

1. the act of breaking or bursting or the state of being broken or burst

2. a breach of peaceful or friendly relations

3. pathol

   1. the breaking or tearing of a bodily structure or part

   2. another word for hernia

verb

1. to break or burst or cause to break or burst

2. to affect or be affected with a rupture or hernia

3. to undergo or cause to undergo a breach in relations or friendship

Other Word Forms

• rupturable adjective
• nonrupturable adjective
• nonrupture noun
• unrupturable adjective
• unruptured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rupture¹

1475–85; < Latin ruptūra (noun), equivalent to rupt ( us ) (past participle of rumpere to break) + -ūra -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of rupture¹

C15: from Latin ruptūra a breaking, from rumpere to burst forth; see _erupt

Example Sentences

San Diego Padres pitcher Jason Adam is out for the season after he ruptured a quad tendon Monday when planting his left foot while trying to field a comebacker.

From Los Angeles Times

Froome's wife Michelle has since told The Times, external that doctors discovered a pericardial rupture - an injury where the sac that surrounds the heart is torn - during surgery which they were able to repair.

From BBC

On 14 August, he called to tell her that he had a rupture in his kidney which had affected his spine.

From BBC

The heat ruptured a gas pipeline from another installation, producing a fireball that engulfed Piper Alpha.

From BBC

Then, on 26 September 2022, several explosions were recorded close to the Danish island of Bornholm that ruptured three of the four pipelines.

From BBC

Related Words

• burst 
• disrupt 
• erupt 
• fracture 
• puncture 
• sever 
• shatter 
• sunder 
• tear