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Glite Dictionary
💥 To burst in 📈 To increase fast
to irrupt

to irrupt

9.9
Increase suddenly in large numbers
  • verb
  • /ɪˈrʌpt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : aumentar bruscamente
  • Ecologists observed that the locusts periodically irrupt, causing widespread crop damage.

Examples

  • Invasive plants can irrupt when environmental conditions favor their rapid growth.

  • The population of rabbits began to irrupt in the spring.

  • After several years of scarcity, the lemming population suddenly irrupted across the tundra.

  • Why did the deer irrupt so suddenly this year?

  • After several years of scarcity, the lemming population suddenly irrupted across the tundra.

  • Ecologists observed that the locusts periodically irrupt, causing widespread crop damage.

  • Invasive plants can irrupt when environmental conditions favor their rapid growth.

Synonyms

to explode
vsto irrupt
136 4.3

To increase very quickly in number or size

is sudden growth that follows a period of stability rather than any quick rise
to skyrocket
vsto irrupt
52 4.1

To rise very quickly to a high level

is a sudden surge often after stability with less sense of loss of control

Antonyms

decrease
84 2.2

A drop in amount or number

to stabilize
  • US
75 4.3

To become steady and stop changing

How Rapid

to explode
136 4.3
to irrupt
  • Specialized
9.9
to surge
41 3.7
increase
713 1.0
to grow
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

irrupt infinitive
irrupted past
irrupted past participle
irrupting present participle
irrupts third person singular

Morphology

irrupt = ir + rupt

Same morphological makeup as sense 1 (ir- + rupt); the ecological sense 'to increase suddenly' is metaphorically related to 'bursting', but because 'rupt' is not a standalone word the relation is only partially transparent to average learners.

Etymology

Irrupt comes from the same idea of 'breaking in' and is like erupt, which means 'to burst out', so picture a species suddenly 'breaking out' across an area. That's why irrupt can mean to increase or appear suddenly and in large numbers.