blowup 1 of 2

blow up

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to detonate
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the building blew up because of a gas leak

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to smash
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive blew up the biggest rocks and then cleared them away

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blowup
Noun
This trenching, which began after the blowups, is evident in Planet Labs images analyzed by 38North, with piles of dirt and heavy machinery marking unfinished work. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024 Consider, first, the distinction between past responses to financial blowups and today’s magic money. Raphaële Chappe, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2020
Verb
Then, Gillis’ phone blows up revealing that the party is actually in the backyard. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Jan. 2025 On one voyage, a boiler blew up killing a crew member. Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for blowup 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blowup
Noun
  • Emilie Blichfeldt’s body horror film includes several difficult-to-watch scenes of crude cosmetic surgery, including its protagonist eating a tapeworm, sewing in eyelashes and enduring a barbaric rhinoplasty.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Watch on Deadline In its opening scenes, the series imagines passengers joining together in a singalong of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer before an explosion rips through the cabin.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Most associate Vesuvius with the 79 CE eruption that encased Pompeii in ash, preserving it for eternity.
    Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 28 Jan. 2025
  • In the days following the eruption of the Los Angeles fires, children called and texted their instructors at Jigsaw to make sure their favorite horses were doing okay.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • But in a surprising twist — one that angered Judge Timothy Fancourt — both sides on Tuesday asked for more time to thrash out a deal.
    Max Taylor, NBC News, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Otherwise, the only other fix is charging more, which presents the risk of angering customers and decreasing revenue.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • An incendiary device was detonated, destroying ballots about a week before Election Day.
    Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Their actual plan was to detonate a bomb on the stairs that Dr. Nichols and Hank were secretly carrying on a fake medical stretcher.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Perhaps the elder Buffett has softened his opinion on dividends as Berkshire’s cash pile continued to smash records.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Instead, Villain tried to smash her face into the food.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN, 18 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • But if Nvidia’s new GPUs are all they’re cracked up to be, perhaps MSI can impress with raw performance per dollar.
    Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 7 Jan. 2025
  • There in the hallway, cracking up, was Morgan’s former boss, Scott Bessent.
    John Hyatt, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Volunteers were charged around 25 cents per huff, bringing in good profit for those who’d invested in the necessary gas tanks, tubes, and breathing bags.
    Oshan Jarow, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
  • The huffs and hums, produced by two women standing face-to-face and vocalizing from their throats, is believed to be one of the oldest music forms in the world.
    Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2024
Noun
  • While the fiery explosion is enough to make Emily and Matt believe that Chuck is dead, her ex-boyfriend and fellow agent Baron (Scott) believes otherwise.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 22 Jan. 2025
  • That 17-point explosion in the fourth quarter was the on-court highlight.
    William Guillory, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near blowup

Cite this Entry

“Blowup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blowup. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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