kablooey

noun

ka·​bloo·​ey kə-ˈblü-ē How to pronounce kablooey (audio)
variants or less commonly kablooie or kerblooey
informal : the sound of an explosion
heard a loud kablooey
often used interjectionally
Then, kablooie! A power outage shut down three big-box stores …Mitchell Landsberg
So what determines confidence? The actual level of debt has some influence—but it's not as if there's a red line, where you cross 90 or 100 percent of GDP and kablooie.Paul Krugman
also : an explosion or series of explosions especially when used for effect (as in a movie)
… conveying a story of corporate greed and institutional carelessness while hitting the viewer with all the taut, big-budget kablooey they can handle. Brad Wheeler
This wasn't Gaga's party. Even through all the airborne pomp and pyrotechnic kablooey, she ultimately seemed like a guest—and one who didn't want to overstay her welcome. Chris Richards
Phrases
go kablooey or less commonly go kablooie or go kerblooey
1
informal : to burst violently : explode
What plays best of all, of course, is a spaceship going kablooey all over the screen.Tad Friend
So is this something homeowners should consider? A spate of municipal water pipes going kerblooey last spring might prompt some to think so.David Lazarus
2
informal : to suffer complete failure, destruction, or ruin especially in a sudden or spectacular way
One of several prize prospects of the mid-80s, he tried a comeback with the Rangers after his career went kablooey.Kevin Sherrington
… went public … just a few months before the technology-stock bubble went kablooey.Scott Barancik et al.

Word History

Etymology

imitative

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kablooey was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near kablooey

Cite this Entry

“Kablooey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kablooey. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

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