Outbursts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Emotional explosions that occur suddenly and frequently showcase intense feelings like anger or joy through loud or physical expressions
2. Sudden episodes of raw emotion that break through the usual restraint often reveal hidden feelings and can be expressed vocally or through actions
3. Brief, intense episodes where emotions are displayed more openly than normal

Etymology: "Outbursts" is simply the plural of "outburst", so it is the form of a noun that names a sudden eruption of feeling or energy. The singular "outburst" is built from "out" and "burst", and it reached English from Middle English "outbersten" and "outbresten", a verb meaning to burst out. The same verb survives in Dutch "uitbarsten" and German "ausbersten", which both mean to erupt or burst out, so the idea of something breaking outward under pressure has been part of this family of words for a long time.

Synonyms: explosions, eruptions, fits, bursts, flare-ups

Antonyms: calm, composure, control