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

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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
Since their blowup in the season-seven finale, Bre admits during her ice bath with Chrishell that Chelsea has attempted to be nice to her in social situations. Anne Victoria Clark, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2024 So eventually, unspoken frustrations (socks on the floor, too many nights out, a pattern of flakiness) build into resentment, which can leak out in the form of unproductive, passive-aggressive comments or more explosive, potentially hurtful blowups. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
The whole week was knocked into a cocked hat when the White House meeting with Zelensky blew up. Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Mar. 2025 Leather and fur were blown up to dramatic proportions, while button-up polos—typically crisp and corporate—were inflated to the extreme, challenging the rigidity of traditional office attire. Tiana Randall, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for blowup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blowup
Noun
  • Following the accident, Seabrook and a passenger exited the Kia and ran away from the scene, police said.
    Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2025
  • And Aeromexico is giving denizens of the Valley of the Sun a new option to Mexico City’s diverse cultural scene, delicious food, and historic sights.
    Edward Russell, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • While such an eruption of fires is rare, Wood, the South Carolina Forestry Commission spokesperson, told NBC affiliate WCBD of Charleston over the weekend that the region is in peak fire season weather.
    Dennis Romero, NBC News, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Instead, based on observations of more recent eruptions, an extremely hot ash cloud that dissipated quickly could have created the conditions necessary for the vitrification of human brain tissue to occur, the study concluded.
    Katie Hunt, CNN, 27 Feb. 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
  • And being choked at the age of 80 while your face is being smashed into the ground?
    Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Her shop’s front glass door was smashed and her point of sale system, electronics and some merchandise were taken.
    Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 5 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
  • 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
  • Crew abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard but all are safe and accounted for.
    William Lambers, Newsweek, 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 15 Mar. 2025.

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