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2
as in to spend
to use up carelessly
each year he blows his holiday bonus on a trip to Las Vegas
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3
as in to explode
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
a huge crater was formed when the volcano last blew
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4
as in to shatter
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
one false move and we would be blown to bits
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5
as in to speed
to proceed or move quickly
that car blew past us as if we were standing still
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6
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
he keeps blowing every job interview that comes his way
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7
as in to brag
to praise or express pride in one's own possessions, qualities, or accomplishments often to excess
another self-made millionaire blowing about how much he'd achieved
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as in knock
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
he was dizzy for the rest of the day after the blow to his head
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as in gust
a sudden brief rush of wind
the ocean blows that sweep over the island are so strong that only the hardiest shrubs can grow there
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blow
Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 3 Mar. 2026
Katie Von Schleicher, another quietly hypnotic singer-songwriter, lends some light synth and background vocals to West’s compositions, while Nate Mendelsohn blows breath into some single, whisper-quiet saxophone lines.
—Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026
Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
The loss of the IEEPA tariffs is a massive blow to the administration’s hopes of tariff revenue not just paying down the nearly $39 trillion national debt, but being used to give rebates to Americans and replace income tax.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blow
Verb
Necas banged home the rebound of a MacKinnon shot, but one of the officials blew a whistle, thinking that Forsberg had control of the puck.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 3 Mar. 2026
Katie Von Schleicher, another quietly hypnotic singer-songwriter, lends some light synth and background vocals to West’s compositions, while Nate Mendelsohn blows breath into some single, whisper-quiet saxophone lines.
—Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
The news is a big blow to the Lions, who are working to reconfigure their offensive line.
—Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
The loss of the IEEPA tariffs is a massive blow to the administration’s hopes of tariff revenue not just paying down the nearly $39 trillion national debt, but being used to give rebates to Americans and replace income tax.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blow
Cite this Entry
“Blow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blow. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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