# bursting

/ˈbɝstɪŋ/ (US) · /bˈɜːstɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bursting
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. breaking open

verb · CEFR B1

the action of something breaking open suddenly because of pressure inside.

For teachers: the present participle of 'burst', describing the act of rupturing or breaking open due to internal pressure.

- The pipes were bursting because the water inside had frozen into ice.
- The dam was visibly bursting under the weight of the floodwaters, forcing the local authorities to issue an immediate evacuation order.

Usage: often used in the continuous tense to describe an ongoing process.

### 2. very full

adjective · CEFR B1

so full of something that there is almost no room left.

For teachers: containing a large amount of something to the point of near-overflow or rupture.

- The garden was bursting with colourful flowers in the middle of June.
- The suitcase was bursting with souvenirs, making it nearly impossible for him to pull the zipper shut without assistance.

Usage: usually followed by the preposition 'with'.

### 3. feeling strong emotion

adjective · CEFR B2

feeling a very strong emotion that you find hard to hide.

For teachers: experiencing an intense internal emotion, such as pride or joy, that feels difficult to contain.

- His parents were bursting with pride when he walked onto the stage to get his degree.
- She was bursting with excitement as she waited at the arrivals gate, clutching a handmade sign for her returning friend.

Usage: commonly used in the phrase 'bursting with pride'.

### 4. needing the toilet

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal · British English

needing to go to the toilet very urgently.

For teachers: experiencing an urgent and immediate physical need to urinate.

- Can we stop at the next petrol station? I'm absolutely bursting.
- After the three-hour coach journey without a single break, most of the passengers were bursting by the time they reached the terminal.

Teaching tip: This is a very common informal expression in the UK; learners should use it with friends rather than in formal business meetings.

### 5. the act of breaking

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the act or sound of something breaking open.

For teachers: the gerund form describing the event or process of a sudden rupture.

- The sudden bursting of the balloon startled the baby and made her cry.
- Engineers studied the bursting of the containment vessel to determine if the metal had been weakened by extreme heat.

## Examples

- The suitcase is bursting with clothes.
- The small room was bursting with excited students waiting for the exam results.
- Her eyes were bursting with unshed tears as she listened to the long-awaited news from her brother overseas.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.