blockbuster

noun, often attributive

block·bust·er | \ ˈbläk-ˌbə-stər

How to pronounce blockbuster (audio)

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Definition of blockbuster

1 : a very large high-explosive bomb

2 : one that is notably expensive, effective, successful, large, or extravagant

3 : one who engages in blockbusting

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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 His true ambition is to make an American-style blockbuster, something with the kind of stratospheric budget that is rarely afforded to Japanese filmmakers. — Ben Dooley, New York Times, "A Famed Horror Director Mines Japan’s Real-Life Atrocities," 10 Oct. 2020 Netflix’s new blockbuster show The Three-Body Problem has become a problem for the streaming giant. — Grady Mcgregor, Fortune, "Netflix enlisted ‘Game of Thrones’ team to adapt China’s best-selling sci-fi novel. Then came controversy," 3 Oct. 2020 Tenet recently debuted in those U.S. movie theaters that have reopened as the first major blockbuster to be released since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but its domestic box office numbers have so far been seen as disappointing. — TheWeek, "Movie theaters face 'beyond bleak' outlook as there might not be any major blockbusters for 2 months," 15 Sep. 2020 Ray Fisher played metahuman Victor Stone in the blockbuster, a character who was cybernetically reconstructed after almost dying in a car crash. — Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, "Jason Momoa Supports Justice League Co-Star Ray Fisher: “This Sh*t Needs To Stop”," 15 Sep. 2020 Nolan’s blockbuster, starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, cost about $205 million and is being advertised as the first major event worthy of people returning to cinemas. — David Sims, The Atlantic, "American Theaters Are Back in Business. Sort Of.," 26 Aug. 2020 Then there's the 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park, in which Dr. Grant and Dr. Satler use dinosaur DNA, partially preserved in amber, to bring the likes of velociraptors and brachiosauruses back to life. — Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, "How Real Is Genetic Engineering in Sci-Fi?," 26 Aug. 2020 The world is more than ready for a fabulous blockbuster, especially one that happens to feature face masks and chat about going back in time to avoid catastrophe. — Clark Collis, EW.com, "Tenet reviews roundup: Movie described as both 'ferociously entertaining' and 'grating'," 21 Aug. 2020 The more godless of us will appreciate Genshin Impact’s small improvements on Nintendo’s beloved blockbuster. — Cecilia D'anastasio, Wired, "Genshin Impact Is Too Good To Be a ‘Zelda Clone’," 1 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blockbuster.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

18 Oct 2020

Cite this Entry

“Blockbuster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blockbuster. Accessed 29 Oct. 2020.

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