English Reference

Word

ruptured

Phoneticsrup·tured

US/ˈɹəptʃɝd/

UK/ɹˈʌptʃəd/

Definition

adj. broken or burst open suddenly. You use this to describe something that has a hole or a tear in it, like a pipe or a part of your body.

adj. having suffered a structural break or burst, typically due to internal pressure or physical trauma. Often used predicatively after 'is' or 'has become'.

Examples

“The plumber fixed the ruptured water pipe.”

“The athlete had to undergo surgery after a ruptured tendon ended his season prematurely.”

“Emergency crews worked through the night to contain the floodwaters after a ruptured levee allowed the river to breach the town's primary defenses.”

Examples

simple

“The plumber fixed the ruptured water pipe.”

contextual

“The athlete had to undergo surgery after a ruptured tendon ended his season prematurely.”

complex

“Emergency crews worked through the night to contain the floodwaters after a ruptured levee allowed the river to breach the town's primary defenses.”

Usage

Often functions as a participial adjective describing a physical state; frequently pairs with medical or technical nouns like 'appendix', 'disc', or 'seal'.

Real-World Examples

“The Superaqueduct, a large, aging pipe system that carries water to the metro area, also ruptured in June , severely reducing water supplies.”
The Conversation · 20 Aug 2026
“Hunt left that day unable to walk, and a scan would show she had fully ruptured a tendon in her quadriceps.”
BBC News · 17 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/ruptured

English Reference