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

Examples 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
Since Trump’s tariffs and tax cuts would both be potentially inflationary, there is a very real possibility of a blowup between the White House and the central bank. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 Getting back to the moon isn’t the only modern challenge beset by delays and budget blowups. Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024
Verb
When Wedding Officiant Asks if Anyone Objects: 'Not Funny' In early December, the women were shocked to be reminded of the wedding again when their phones suddenly started blowing up with Danny's video. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024 Blasé waves are basically a collision between the old money, quiet luxury, Upper East-Sider aesthetics that have been blowing up on TikTok and the bratty, grungy, rebel movements that have been taking off as an antidote. Elle Turner, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for blowup 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blowup
Noun
  • Back at the laboratory, the company’s fixers are examining the gory scene left by Alice 2.0.
    Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Surely a post-credits scene—which almost every single comic book movie ends with—will tee up exactly what’s next for Kraven, right? Does Kraven the Hunter have a post-credits scene?
    James Grebey, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The seasons of the Sun 🌿☀️🍂❄️ Just as Earth has seasons, our Sun moves from times of frequent eruptions to stretches of relative quiescence.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
  • These displays are the result of eruptions of electromagnetic radiation, or solar flares, and bubbles of plasma that often burst along with those flares, or coronal mass ejections.
    Ty Roush, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The trip angered China, which claims Taiwan as its own.
    Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 10 Dec. 2024
  • His amplification of Lee's viewpoints angered Social Security advocates.
    Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • On Wednesday, a suicide bomber disguised himself as a visitor to the Ministry of Refugees compound, detonating his bomb as Haqqani was signing paperwork, a ministry spokesperson told CNN.
    Catherine Nicholls, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania were able to persuade a simulated self-driving car to ignore stop signs and even drive off a bridge, get a wheeled robot to find the best place to detonate a bomb, and force a four-legged robot to spy on people and enter restricted areas.
    Will Knight, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Hulu scored hits in unexpected places (reality smash The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) even as shows such as Futurama and Only Murders in the Building continued to be quiet streaming hits.
    Josef Adalian, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
  • The leaves must be smashed and not chopped for fear the blade of a knife will over-oxidize them.
    Thessaly La Force, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Playing two versions of Eggman in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 isn't all it's cracked up to be for Jim Carrey.
    Griff Griffin, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Creation Lake is a raw, surprising reminder that cool isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.
    The Atlantic, The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 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
  • The Los Angeles lawsuit recalls that Buzbee represented several victims of the 2005 explosion at BP's Texas refinery, which killed 15 workers and injured 180.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. when an explosion and underground fire in a manhole on Elm Street required a power shutdown to most of the capital region, according to Eversource and Tina Varona, spokesperson for Hartford Hospital.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near blowup

Cite this Entry

“Blowup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blowup. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!