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B2 adjective #1,500 más común 10 min de lectura

burst

Top 1,500

At the A1 level, 'burst' is a word you might learn when talking about toys or simple accidents. Think of a balloon. If you blow too much air into a balloon, it goes 'pop!' After it pops, the balloon is 'burst.' It is broken and you cannot use it anymore. You can say, 'The balloon is burst.' You might also hear it if a bag of chips or a bag of candies opens by mistake and everything falls out. You can say, 'The bag is burst.' At this level, just remember that 'burst' means something broke open suddenly because there was too much inside it. It is an irregular word, so we don't say 'bursted.' We just say 'burst' for today, yesterday, and as a description. It's a simple way to describe a specific kind of 'broken.'

For A2 learners, 'burst' is useful for describing common household problems. The most important example is a 'burst pipe.' In cold weather, water inside pipes can turn to ice. Ice is bigger than water, so it pushes on the pipe until the pipe breaks. We call this a 'burst pipe.' It is a very common problem in many countries. You can also use 'burst' to describe a tire on a bicycle or a car. If a tire has a big hole and all the air comes out at once, it is a burst tire. Remember, 'burst' is different from 'broken.' A chair can be broken, but a chair cannot be burst because it doesn't have air or water inside it pushing out. 'Burst' is for things like bags, pipes, tires, and balloons.

At the B1 level, you can start using 'burst' in more varied contexts, including some metaphorical ones. You might describe a 'burst seam' on a piece of clothing that is too tight. This shows that the pressure of the person's body caused the threads to break. You will also see 'burst' used in news stories about infrastructure, like a 'burst water main' that floods a street. At this level, you should be careful with the grammar. 'Burst' is an adjective here, describing the state of the object. For example, 'The burst pipe caused a lot of damage.' You should also know that 'burst' is the same in the past tense. 'The pipe burst yesterday' (verb) and 'The pipe is burst' (adjective). It's a versatile word for describing sudden, pressure-related failures.

As a B2 learner, you should use 'burst' with precision, especially to distinguish it from similar words like 'punctured' or 'ruptured.' You understand that 'burst' implies an internal failure. In a business context, you might discuss a 'burst bubble,' such as the 'housing bubble burst' in 2008. Here, 'burst' describes the sudden collapse of high prices. You should also be comfortable using 'burst' in medical contexts, like a 'burst appendix' or a 'burst blood vessel,' though you might also know the more formal term 'ruptured.' At this level, you can use 'burst' to add descriptive power to your writing, choosing it over the more generic 'broken' to give the reader a clearer picture of *how* something failed—specifically, that it failed due to internal pressure.

At the C1 level, 'burst' is part of a sophisticated vocabulary used to describe complex systems and their failures. You might use it in technical reports to describe 'burst pressure' or 'burst strength'—the maximum stress a material can withstand. You are aware of the stylistic impact of the word, using it to create vivid imagery in literature or persuasive writing. For instance, describing a 'burst of activity' or a 'burst of light' uses the noun form, but as an adjective, you might describe a 'burst dam' in a socio-political essay to symbolize the sudden failure of a long-standing policy. You also understand the nuance between 'burst' and 'breached' in engineering and 'lysis' in biology. Your usage is idiomatic and grammatically flawless, avoiding the common 'bursted' error entirely.

For C2 proficiency, 'burst' is used with complete mastery across all registers. You can navigate the subtle differences between 'burst,' 'ruptured,' 'shattered,' and 'exploded' with ease, choosing the word that fits the precise physical and atmospheric requirements of your text. You might use 'burst' in a philosophical sense, describing the 'burst illusions' of a post-war generation. In high-level academic writing, you might discuss the 'burst characteristics' of data transmission in networking. You are also sensitive to the word's etymology and its role in various English dialects. Whether you are describing a 'burst eardrum' in a medical journal or a 'bursting-at-the-seams' population in a sociological study, your use of the word is nuanced, accurate, and contextually perfect.

Practícalo Ejemplos Notas y consejos

burst en 30 segundos

Burst describes an object that has ruptured suddenly from internal pressure.
It is commonly used for pipes, tires, balloons, and medical conditions like an appendix.
The word is irregular; 'burst' is used for all tenses and as an adjective.
It implies a more violent and sudden failure than 'broken' or 'leaking'.

The adjective burst describes an object that has undergone a sudden, violent rupture from within. Unlike a simple tear or a slow leak, something that is burst has typically failed due to an accumulation of internal pressure that the outer casing could no longer contain. In a physical sense, it implies a total loss of structural integrity, often resulting in the contents being expelled rapidly into the surrounding environment. This term is most frequently applied to pressurized systems like plumbing, inflatable objects like balloons or tires, and biological structures like blood vessels or cells. When we describe a pipe as 'burst,' we are not just saying it is leaking; we are indicating a significant break that usually requires immediate repair. The state of being burst is often the result of extreme conditions—freezing temperatures expanding water in a pipe, over-inflation of a tire, or a surge in blood pressure. In technical and academic writing, 'burst' serves as a precise descriptor for the state of a container after a failure event, distinguishing it from 'cracked' or 'punctured,' which might imply less catastrophic damage.

Physical State: Completely ruptured or broken open, usually leaving the object unusable and its contents dispersed.
Causality: Typically caused by internal forces, such as pressure, expansion, or sudden impact, rather than external cutting.

The plumber arrived quickly to fix the burst water main before the street flooded.

Beyond the purely physical, the adjective can be used in abstract or economic contexts. For instance, a 'burst bubble' in finance refers to a market that has reached an unsustainable peak and then suddenly collapsed. Here, the adjective describes the state of the market after the 'pop.' It conveys a sense of finality and the sudden release of speculative energy. In everyday conversation, while we often use 'burst' as a verb, its use as an adjective is crucial for identifying the specific condition of an object. If you tell a mechanic you have a 'burst tire,' they understand the severity is much higher than a simple 'flat tire.' The word carries an inherent intensity, suggesting a moment of high energy and sudden change. It is this transition from a contained state to an uncontained one that defines the essence of the word.

We found a burst bag of flour in the pantry, making a huge mess.

Technical Context: In engineering, a burst disc is a non-reclosing pressure relief device that protects a vessel from overpressure.

The burst appendix required immediate surgical intervention.

Using 'burst' as an adjective requires understanding its placement in a sentence. It can function both attributively (before a noun) and predicatively (after a linking verb). In its attributive form, it identifies a specific noun by its state: 'the burst balloon,' 'the burst pipe,' 'the burst eardrum.' This usage is very common in reporting damage or identifying faulty equipment. When used predicatively, it often follows verbs like 'is,' 'was,' or 'seemed': 'The pipe is burst.' However, in modern English, many speakers prefer 'has burst' (present perfect verb) over 'is burst' (adjective), though the latter remains grammatically correct and common in certain dialects and technical manuals. To sound more natural at a B2 level, focus on using it to describe the result of a sudden failure. For example, instead of saying 'the broken balloon,' saying 'the burst balloon' provides more specific information about *how* it broke.

Attributive Use: Placed directly before the noun: 'The burst dam caused widespread flooding.'
Predicative Use: Placed after a linking verb: 'By the time we arrived, the boiler was already burst.'

The burst seams of the old suitcase showed how overpacked it was.

When writing, consider the intensity of the word. 'Burst' is a high-impact adjective. It shouldn't be used for minor damage. If a seam is just starting to come apart, 'frayed' or 'torn' is better. If the seam has completely given way due to the contents pushing out, 'burst' is the perfect choice. In academic contexts, especially in the sciences, 'burst' is used to describe cellular lysis or the failure of containment vessels under pressure. In these cases, it is often paired with specific nouns to create technical terms like 'burst pressure' (the maximum pressure a pipe can handle before failing). Using the word in these specific collocations demonstrates a higher level of English proficiency and a better grasp of technical registers.

The scientist examined the burst cells under a microscope.

Collocation Tip: Commonly paired with: pipe, balloon, tire, eardrum, dam, seam, bubble, appendix.

The burst housing of the engine indicated a catastrophic failure.

You will encounter the adjective 'burst' in several distinct environments. The most common is in news reports and emergency broadcasts, particularly during extreme weather events. When temperatures drop below freezing, news anchors frequently warn homeowners about the danger of 'burst pipes.' In this context, the word serves as a warning and a description of a common winter disaster. Similarly, in reports on infrastructure, you might hear about a 'burst water main' causing traffic delays or flooding in a city center. The word is chosen for its ability to convey the scale and suddenness of the problem, signaling to the audience that this is not a routine maintenance issue but a significant rupture.

News & Media: Used to describe infrastructure failures, natural disasters (dams), or medical emergencies.
Medical Settings: Doctors use it to describe internal ruptures, such as a burst appendix or a burst blood vessel (aneurysm).

'We have a burst water main on 5th Avenue,' the reporter announced.

Another common area is in financial and economic discussions. Analysts often speak of 'burst bubbles,' such as the dot-com bubble or the housing bubble. In these discussions, 'burst' describes the state of a market after a period of rapid, unsustainable growth. It implies that the 'air' (speculative value) has been let out suddenly, leaving the market in a state of collapse. This metaphorical use is so common that it has become a standard part of economic vocabulary. You will also hear it in sports, particularly in cycling or racing, where a 'burst tire' can end a competitor's chances instantly. In these high-stakes environments, the word 'burst' emphasizes the sudden, uncontrollable nature of the failure.

The investor lamented the burst crypto bubble that cost him his savings.

Everyday Conversation: Used when describing household accidents, like a burst bag of groceries or a child's burst balloon.

He pointed to the burst tire on the side of the highway.

One of the most frequent mistakes learners make with 'burst' is treating it like a regular verb and adding '-ed' to form the past participle or adjective. There is no such word as 'bursted.' Whether it is the present tense, past tense, or the adjective form, the word remains 'burst.' For example, saying 'the bursted pipe' is a common error; the correct form is 'the burst pipe.' This irregularity often trips up students who are used to the '-ed' pattern for most English adjectives derived from verbs. Another mistake is confusing 'burst' with 'broken.' While all burst things are broken, not all broken things are burst. 'Broken' is a general term, whereas 'burst' specifically implies a rupture from internal pressure. Using 'broken' for a balloon that has popped is acceptable but less precise than 'burst.'

The 'Bursted' Error: Incorrect: 'The bursted balloon.' Correct: 'The burst balloon.'
Confusing with 'Bust': 'Bust' is often used as slang for 'broken' or 'bankrupt' (e.g., 'the company went bust'), but 'burst' is the correct term for physical ruptures.

Avoid saying 'the bursted bag'; instead, use 'the burst bag'.

Learners also sometimes struggle with the difference between 'bursting' and 'burst.' 'Bursting' is the present participle and often describes a state of being extremely full or about to rupture (e.g., 'I am bursting with pride' or 'the room was bursting with people'). 'Burst,' as an adjective, describes the state *after* the rupture has occurred. If you say 'the bursting pipe,' you mean it is in the process of breaking or is under so much pressure it might break soon. If you say 'the burst pipe,' the damage is already done. Understanding this temporal distinction is key to using the word accurately in descriptive writing. Finally, be careful with the word 'popped.' While 'popped' is a common synonym for 'burst' when talking about balloons or bubbles, it is much more informal and would not be appropriate in a technical or medical report.

The student mistakenly wrote 'bursted eardrum' in the biology report.

Word Choice: Use 'burst' for pipes and balloons; use 'shattered' for glass; use 'snapped' for wood or plastic under tension.

Is it burst or broken? If it exploded from inside, it's burst.

Understanding the nuances between 'burst' and its synonyms will help you choose the most precise word for your context. The most direct synonym is 'ruptured.' While 'burst' is common in everyday and technical English, 'ruptured' is often preferred in medical and formal scientific contexts. You would say a 'ruptured appendix' or a 'ruptured disc' in a clinical setting, whereas you might say 'burst' in a casual conversation. Both imply a break caused by pressure, but 'ruptured' sounds more professional. Another similar word is 'punctured.' However, a puncture is caused by an external object piercing the surface (like a nail in a tire), whereas a burst is caused by internal pressure. A 'punctured tire' and a 'burst tire' are two different types of damage.

Burst vs. Ruptured: 'Burst' is general/informal; 'Ruptured' is formal/medical. Both mean broken by internal pressure.
Burst vs. Punctured: 'Burst' is internal pressure; 'Punctured' is external piercing.
Burst vs. Shattered: 'Burst' is for flexible or hollow containers; 'Shattered' is for brittle materials like glass or ceramic.

The ruptured pipe (formal) vs. the burst pipe (common).

In the context of balloons or small bubbles, 'popped' is a very common synonym. It is onomatopoeic, reflecting the sound the event makes. However, 'popped' is almost exclusively used for small, air-filled objects. You wouldn't usually say a 'popped water main' or a 'popped dam.' For those larger, more serious events, 'burst' or 'breached' is required. 'Breached' is specifically used for barriers like dams or walls that have given way. While a 'burst dam' is common, a 'breached dam' suggests that the water has found a way through or over the structure, not necessarily that the structure itself exploded. Finally, 'exploded' is a stronger synonym that implies a much more violent and destructive event, often involving fire or chemical reactions, whereas 'burst' can be as simple as a seam opening up.

The punctured tire had a nail in it, but the burst tire had completely disintegrated.

Synonym Comparison: Exploded: High energy, often fire. Ruptured: Pressure-related, often biological. Torn: Pulling force on fabric/paper. Burst: General pressure-related failure.

The breached levee led to the city's flooding, similar to a burst dam.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

Neutral

Informal

Nivel de dificultad

Gramática que debes saber

Ejemplos por nivel

The balloon is burst.

Le ballon est éclaté.

Adjective after 'is'.

I have a burst bag.

J'ai un sac déchiré.

Attributive adjective.

Look at the burst bubble!

Regarde la bulle éclatée !

Used with a noun.

The toy is burst.

Le jouet est cassé (éclaté).

Simple predicative use.

Is the ball burst?

Est-ce que le ballon est crevé ?

Question form.

The burst chips are on the floor.

Les chips éclatées sont par terre.

Attributive use.

Don't touch the burst balloon.

Ne touche pas au ballon éclaté.

Imperative sentence.

My burst bag is empty.

Mon sac éclaté est vide.

Possessive + adjective.

We have a burst pipe in the kitchen.

Nous avons un tuyau éclaté dans la cuisine.

Common collocation: burst pipe.

The car has a burst tire.

La voiture a un pneu crevé.

Describing a vehicle problem.

He fixed the burst football.

Il a réparé le ballon de football crevé.

Past tense verb + adjective.

The burst water bottle made a mess.

La bouteille d'eau éclatée a fait des dégâts.

Subject of the sentence.

Is that a burst blood vessel in your eye?

Est-ce un vaisseau sanguin éclaté dans ton œil ?

Medical context (simple).

The burst dam was a big disaster.

Le barrage rompu a été un grand désastre.

Describing a disaster.

She cried over her burst balloon.

Elle a pleuré pour son ballon éclaté.

Prepositional phrase.

They found a burst packet of flour.

Ils ont trouvé un paquet de farine éclaté.

Describing a mess.

The burst seams of his jacket showed it was too small.

Les coutures éclatées de sa veste montraient qu'elle était trop petite.

Plural noun with adjective.

The city struggled with several burst water mains this winter.

La ville a lutté contre plusieurs ruptures de canalisations cet hiver.

Formal infrastructure context.

A burst eardrum can be very painful.

Un tympan perforé peut être très douloureux.

Medical adjective.

The burst bubble of the local housing market affected many.

L'éclatement de la bulle immobilière locale a touché beaucoup de gens.

Metaphorical use.

We couldn't use the pool because of a burst liner.

Nous n'avons pas pu utiliser la piscine à cause d'un revêtement percé.

Explaining a cause.

The burst container leaked chemicals into the soil.

Le conteneur éclaté a laissé fuir des produits chimiques dans le sol.

Environmental context.

He pointed to the burst radiator in the old car.

Il a montré le radiateur éclaté dans la vieille voiture.

Technical part description.

The burst pillows left feathers all over the bedroom.

Les oreillers crevés ont laissé des plumes partout dans la chambre.

Describing the result of an action.

The burst appendix required an emergency operation.

L'appendice rompu a nécessité une opération d'urgence.

Specific medical term.

Investigators found that a burst hydraulic line caused the crash.

Les enquêteurs ont découvert qu'une conduite hydraulique éclatée avait causé l'accident.

Technical investigation context.

The burst dam released millions of gallons of water instantly.

Le barrage rompu a libéré instantanément des millions de gallons d'eau.

Describing scale and speed.

A burst of cold air hit the room through the burst window pane.

Une bouffée d'air froid a frappé la pièce à travers la vitre éclatée.

Contrasting noun 'burst' and adjective 'burst'.

The burst economic bubble led to a decade of recession.

La bulle économique éclatée a conduit à une décennie de récession.

Abstract economic use.

He suffered from a burst blood vessel due to high pressure.

Il a souffert d'un vaisseau sanguin éclaté à cause d'une pression élevée.

Cause and effect.

The burst hull of the ship was beyond repair.

La coque éclatée du navire était irréparable.

Nautical context.

The burst seams of the overstuffed sofa were clearly visible.

Les coutures éclatées du canapé trop rembourré étaient clairement visibles.

Detailed description.

The burst pressure of the pipe was exceeded during the test.

La pression d'éclatement du tuyau a été dépassée pendant le test.

Compound noun/adjective use.

The burst eardrum resulted in permanent hearing loss for the diver.

Le tympan perforé a entraîné une perte auditive permanente pour le plongeur.

Describing long-term consequences.

The burst dam serves as a grim reminder of the engineering failure.

Le barrage rompu sert de sinistre rappel de l'échec technique.

Symbolic/formal usage.

The burst cells were analyzed to determine the cause of the infection.

Les cellules éclatées ont été analysées pour déterminer la cause de l'infection.

Scientific/biological context.

The burst bubble of tech stocks in 2000 changed the industry forever.

L'éclatement de la bulle des valeurs technologiques en 2000 a changé l'industrie à jamais.

Historical economic reference.

The burst casing of the battery indicated a dangerous chemical reaction.

Le boîtier éclaté de la batterie indiquait une réaction chimique dangereuse.

Technical safety context.

The burst seams of the social contract led to widespread unrest.

Les coutures éclatées du contrat social ont conduit à des troubles généralisés.

Metaphorical sociological use.

The burst main caused a sinkhole that swallowed a parked car.

La conduite principale éclatée a provoqué un trou béant qui a englouti une voiture garée.

Dramatic narrative description.

The burst integrity of the containment vessel necessitated an immediate evacuation.

L'intégrité rompue de l'enceinte de confinement a nécessité une évacuation immédiate.

Highly formal/technical.

The burst illusions of the youth were reflected in the era's cynical literature.

Les illusions envolées de la jeunesse se reflétaient dans la littérature cynique de l'époque.

Philosophical/literary use.

A burst appendix, if left untreated, can lead to fatal peritonitis.

Un appendice rompu, s'il n'est pas traité, peut entraîner une péritonite mortelle.

Precise medical terminology.

The burst of the dot-com bubble is often cited as a classic example of market irrationality.

L'éclatement de la bulle Internet est souvent cité comme un exemple classique d'irrationalité du marché.

Using 'burst' as a noun-adjective hybrid in context.

The burst seams of the over-leveraged bank led to a global financial crisis.

Les coutures éclatées de la banque surendettée ont conduit à une crise financière mondiale.

Complex metaphorical economic use.

The burst characteristics of the signal were analyzed using Fourier transforms.

Les caractéristiques de salve du signal ont été analysées à l'aide de transformées de Fourier.

Highly specialized technical use.

The burst dam's catastrophic failure was attributed to poor soil analysis.

La défaillance catastrophique du barrage rompu a été attribuée à une mauvaise analyse des sols.

Formal investigative tone.

The burst capillaries in his face were a testament to years of harsh weather.

Les capillaires éclatés sur son visage témoignaient d'années de temps inclément.

Vivid literary description.

Sinónimos

ruptured punctured split shattered broken fractured

Antónimos

intact whole sealed

Colocaciones comunes

burst pipe

burst tire

burst balloon

burst water main

burst appendix

burst eardrum

burst bubble

burst seam

burst blood vessel

burst dam

Frases Comunes

bursting at the seams

burst into tears

burst into flames

burst out laughing

burst onto the scene

a burst of energy

a burst of speed

bubble burst

burst the bubble

fit to burst

Se confunde a menudo con

burst vs bursted (incorrect form)

burst vs bust (slang for broken/bankrupt)

burst vs broken (too general)

Modismos y expresiones

Fácil de confundir

burst vs

Patrones de oraciones

Cómo usarlo

metaphor

Used for markets, illusions, and emotions.

distinction

Burst (internal pressure) vs. Punctured (external force).

Errores comunes

Using 'bursted' instead of 'burst'.
Using 'burst' for things that were cut from the outside (use 'punctured').
Confusing 'burst' (adjective) with 'bursting' (present participle).
Using 'burst' for brittle materials like glass (use 'shattered').
Using 'burst' for paper or cloth that was pulled apart (use 'torn').

Consejos

Avoid -ed

Never add -ed to burst. It's one of those rare words that stays the same: burst, burst, burst.

Precision

Use 'burst' when you want to emphasize that the break came from inside the object.

Idioms

Learn 'burst into tears' and 'burst out laughing' to sound more like a native speaker.

Imagery

Use 'burst' to create a sense of suddenness and drama in your descriptions.

Winter Tip

In English-speaking countries, 'burst pipes' is a major topic in winter safety guides.

Urgency

A 'burst appendix' is a medical emergency. Use the word to convey high priority.

Market Trends

Use 'the bubble burst' to describe the end of a period of high investment.

Sound Patterns

Listen for the 'st' ending; it's short and sharp, matching the meaning of the word.

Rupture

Switch to 'rupture' for more formal or scientific writing.

Common Pairs

Memorize 'burst pipe' and 'burst tire' as they are the most frequent uses.

Memorízalo

Origen de la palabra

Old English 'berstan'

Contexto cultural

Often used to describe a 'burst pipe' during a 'big freeze'.

Commonly used in 'burst tire' (though 'flat tire' is more frequent for minor issues).

Practica en la vida real

Contextos reales

Inicios de conversación

"Have you ever had a burst pipe in your house?"

"What do you do if you get a burst tire on the highway?"

"Do you remember when the tech bubble burst?"

"How do you feel when someone bursts your bubble?"

"What's the best way to prevent a burst water bottle in a bag?"

Temas para diario

Describe a time you were 'bursting with pride'.

Write about a situation where a 'burst bubble' changed your plans.

Imagine a world where things never burst. How would it be different?

Describe the sound and sight of a burst water main.

Reflect on a moment when your patience finally burst.

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

No, 'bursted' is considered non-standard or incorrect in modern English. The past tense and past participle of burst is always 'burst'.

A flat tire might just have a small leak and lose air slowly. A burst tire has ruptured suddenly and violently, usually making it completely unusable.

Yes, in that sentence 'burst' is the past tense verb. As an adjective, you would say 'the burst balloon'.

It is neutral. In very formal medical or technical writing, 'ruptured' is often preferred.

Usually, we use 'shattered' for glass. 'Burst' is for things that hold pressure, like a glass bottle containing a carbonated drink that gets too hot.

It is an idiom meaning something is so full that it is almost breaking open, like a suitcase with too many clothes.

It's most common in the phrase 'the bubble burst,' referring to a sudden drop in market prices after a period of inflation.

They are similar, but 'exploded' usually implies more fire, noise, and destruction. 'Burst' is specifically about the container failing.

Metaphorically, yes. 'I'm so full I could burst' or 'I'm bursting with excitement'.

Yes, a 'burst of speed' is a common noun phrase, but you might also hear about a 'burst ball' in football.