blockbuster

noun

block·​bust·​er ˈbläk-ˌbə-stər How to pronounce blockbuster (audio)
often attributive
1
: a very large high-explosive bomb
2
: one that is notably expensive, effective, successful, large, or extravagant
3
: one who engages in blockbusting

Examples of blockbuster in a Sentence

a 900-page blockbuster of a novel the movie is expected to be the biggest blockbuster of the summer
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The moment, Turner told the Times, was like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster. Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025 The benefits of that blockbuster merger, which gave Capital One a proprietary payments network to lessen its reliance on Mastercard and Visa over time, are at the heart of our investment thesis. Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2025 But the Mets could also make a push for a blockbuster, franchise-altering trade this winter. Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 Change Halloween to the Fourth of July and a relentless maniac to a hungry shark, and Steven Spielberg's iconic blockbuster might as well be a seabound slasher. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for blockbuster

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blockbuster was in 1942

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blockbuster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blockbuster. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

blockbuster

noun
block·​bust·​er ˈbläk-ˌbəs-tər How to pronounce blockbuster (audio)
: one that is very large, successful, or violent
a blockbuster of a movie

More from Merriam-Webster on blockbuster

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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