What does "starburst" mean?

A violent explosion, or the pattern (likened to the shape of a star) supposed to be made by such an explosion.

What is a synonym for "starburst"?

Common synonyms include: sunburst, sunburst.

noun, verb

noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Noun

1
A violent explosion, or the pattern (likened to the shape of a star) supposed to be made by such an explosion.
"[…] his arm striking brick and the bottle shattering in a starburst of black […]"
2
A symbol similar to an asterisk, but with additional rays: ✺.
3
A region of space with an unusually high rate of star formation.
4
A period in time during which a region of space experiences an unusually high rate of star formation.
"The Milky Way will see a starburst in approximately 200,000,000 years."

Verb

1
To experience an unusually high rate of star formation.
2
To explode; to burst out violently via, or in such a manner as to cause, an explosion.
3
To make a starburst pattern.
"The faint light from the sky starbursted on a tear. Suddenly there was something appallingly human about her."