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
The sudden blowup was the most heated public exchange of words between world leaders in the Oval Office in memory, as the usual staid work of diplomacy descended into finger-pointing, shouting and eye-rolling. Zeke Miller, The Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2025 With President Trump, blowups can happen quickly, but so can reconciliations. The Editors, National Review, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
The levies on Canada and Mexico threaten to blow up Trump’s own USMCA trade deal, which allowed many products to cross North American borders duty free. TIME, 8 Mar. 2025 But part of the fight is trying to work out which teams are going to blow up or which driver pairings are going to be problematic. Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for blowup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blowup
Noun
  • Investigators and deputies with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office were at the scene, along with police dogs trained to uncover human bodies, after the blaze.
    Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025
  • One shell casing was recovered at the scene, police sources said.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This indicates that an eruption is likely within the next few weeks or months.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Alaska's Mount Spurr, an active volcano near the most populated region in the state, is getting even closer to an eruption, according to volcanologists.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In the video game, Abby pits herself against Joel, which also angered online gamers.
    Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The move, which directs the education secretary to go forward with revising a law passed by Congress, pleased some conservatives while angering student loan borrowers and advocates, who vowed to launch a court challenge.
    Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • That a cooking gas cannister won’t detonate in error, and spark a shoot-out that breaks the peace permanently.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Just before noon, an archeologist located what... Posted by Vancouver Police Department on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 The teams developed a plan to safely detonate the ordnance.
    Kerry Breen, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • To Late April Close, CFO Says - Update RTL pointed to 2024 success stories including Oscar-winner Poor Things, hit Amazon YA series Maxton Hall, Kim Kardashian-produced doc Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar and U.S. entertainment smashes like Family Feud and The Farmer Wants A Wife.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2025
  • An individual or individuals smashed windows, painted Cybertruck windshields with large red X’s and tried to ignite a fire.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • While the clip left viewers cracking up, many weren't surprised about this cat's late-night shenanigans.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025
  • And then now imagine the pothole gets a little bit bigger and a little bit deeper and the road's a little bit more cracked up.
    Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025
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
  • Crew abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard but all are safe and accounted for.
    William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
  • In addition to Tesla’s troubles, Musk’s social network X experienced several outages throughout the day on Monday, and his aerospace and defense company SpaceX is investigating two explosions in a row that occurred during test flights of its massive Starship rocket.
    Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Blowup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blowup. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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