Synonyms of blow

blow 1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈblō 

1

as in to gasp

to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty

that horse was really blowing after the race

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gasp
• pant
• puff
• heave
• hyperventilate
• choke
• wheeze
• snore
• be out of breath
• gulp
• huff
• stifle
• smother
• gag
• asphyxiate
• exhale
• strangle
• expire
• snuffle

2

as in to spend

to use up carelessly

each year he blows his holiday bonus on a trip to Las Vegas

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spend
• lose
• waste
• throw away
• dissipate
• squander
• run through
• lavish
• trifle (away)
• misspend
• fritter (away)
• exhaust
• fiddle away
• splurge
• deplete
• play ducks and drakes with
• consume
• impoverish
• indulge
• shoot
• disburse
• expend
• lay out
• overspend
• overindulge

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conserve
• protect
• save
• preserve
• economize
• skimp
• scrimp
• lay up
• hoard

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• explode
• detonate
• pop
• burst
• blow up
• go off
• shatter
• crump
• smash
• fragment
• fire
• splinter
• shoot
• discharge
• balloon
• mushroom
• burgeon

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collapse
• implode
• fizzle

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shatter
• smash
• demolish
• destroy
• burst
• explode
• blast
• pop
• detonate
• blow up
• ruin
• annihilate
• wreck
• dynamite
• decimate
• fragment
• discharge
• splinter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collapse
• implode

5

as in to speed

to proceed or move quickly

that car blew past us as if we were standing still

Synonyms & Similar Words

• speed
• hurry
• rush
• fly
• travel
• race
• drive
• scurry
• chase
• trot
• jump
• zip
• run
• blast
• buzz
• rip
• tear
• scoot
• dart
• scuttle
• step
• breeze
• shoot
• whirl
• dash
• ram
• hurl
• bolt
• zoom
• crack (on)
• jet
• blaze
• hurtle
• rocket
• motor
• course
• hustle
• career
• hasten
• jog
• bowl
• barrel
• bomb
• hump
• rustle
• hie
• bundle
• beat it
• belt
• nip
• get a move on
• pelt
• hare
• whisk
• step on it
• careen
• highball
• make tracks
• bustle
• gallop
• cannonball
• shake a leg
• flit
• hotfoot (it)
• streak
• accelerate
• scamper
• stampede
• whiz
• beetle
• step out
• sprint
• overtake
• catch up
• outrun
• scuffle
• quicken
• scud
• outstrip
• outpace
• arrow
• fast-forward
• beeline

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• creep
• poke
• drag
• crawl
• hang (around or out)
• poke
• linger
• lag
• loiter
• stroll
• dawdle
• tarry
• shuffle
• slow (down or up)
• saunter
• amble
• lumber
• decelerate
• plod
• dillydally
• dally

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fumble
• ruin
• destroy
• boot
• botch
• boggle
• spoil
• dub
• mangle
• murder
• damage
• screw up
• bungle
• muff
• butcher
• fluff
• foul up
• injure
• goof (up)
• muck up
• wreck
• mar
• flub
• bumble
• foozle
• impair
• bobble
• bugger (up)
• harm
• hurt
• louse up
• flaw
• bollix (up)
• mess (up)
• mutilate
• blunder
• gum (up)
• muddle
• blight
• blemish
• vitiate
• mismanage
• piffle
• mishandle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improve
• help
• better
• enhance
• ameliorate
• reform
• remedy
• rectify
• refine
• repair
• fix
• patch
• meliorate
• renovate
• revamp
• recondition
• doctor

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brag
• boast
• bull
• vapor
• display
• blow smoke
• crow
• vaunt
• exhibit
• swagger
• pride
• puff
• gasconade
• gush
• bluster
• expose
• harangue
• glory
• maximize
• parade
• show off
• flaunt
• rejoice
• exult
• brandish
• magnify
• glorify

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• minimize
• diminish
• discount
• play down
• shrug off
• belittle
• underrate
• undervalue
• deprecate
• laugh off
• regret
• mourn
• pooh-pooh
• lament
• bemoan

blow

2 of 4

verb (2)

as in to flower

to produce flowers

longing for a grassy field in some far-off land where the wildflowers blow

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flower
• bloom
• blossom
• unfold
• leave
• effloresce
• leaf
• burgeon
• bud
• open

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fade
• wilt
• die
• wither
• drop
• dry up
• shrivel
• perish
• expire

blow

3 of 4

noun (1)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• knock
• hit
• slap
• punch
• thump
• whack
• stroke
• thud
• swipe
• pound
• poke
• smack
• bang
• lick
• beat
• slam
• spank
• clip
• chop
• clap
• kick
• hook
• lash
• switch
• smash
• crack
• swat
• pick
• bat
• belt
• hack
• fillip
• bop
• bust
• bash
• sock
• pelt
• pounding
• box
• slug
• wallop
• clout
• wham
• cuff
• plump
• knee
• rap
• stripe
• thwack
• buffet
• welt
• dab
• stinger
• biff
• beating
• licking
• swing
• douse
• haymaker
• hand
• whop
• left
• larrup
• right
• body blow
• hammering
• shiver
• sucker punch
• whip
• counter
• whipping
• counterstroke
• roundhouse
• uppercut
• counterblow
• knockdown
• thrashing
• battering
• pummeling
• one-two
• knockout
• KO
• drubbing
• counterpunch
• rabbit punch
• flogging
• sidewinder
• pasting
• bludgeoning
• clobbering
• walloping
• cruncher
• cudgeling
• right-hander
• bastinado
• lambasting
• kayo

blow

4 of 4

noun (2)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gust
• breeze
• blast
• tornado
• flurry
• scud
• windblast
• gale
• breath
• hurricane
• puff
• waft
• zephyr
• whiff
• williwaw
• current
• windstorm
• tempest
• air
• draft
• squall
• norther
• northeaster
• westerly
• southeaster
• bluster
• southwester
• northwester
• northerly

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of blow

Verb

The 19-year-old made his debut with 20 minutes left to play at Molineux, and bagged his first assist before the final whistle blew. —Mark Carey, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026

Worse still, dusty vents can blow back dirt into the air, carpet, or curtains. —Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2026

Noun

The pressure pushed the Panamanian government to exit Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative – a symbolic blow for Beijing. —Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026

The restaurant weathered the blows of COVID-19, but the relationship between Valente and his partners was strained. —Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 31 Jan. 2026

Phrases Containing blow

• Joe Blow
• blow (out)
• blow a gasket
• blow away
• blow off
• blow one's cool
• blow one's mind
• blow one's stack
• blow one's top
• blow smoke
• blow the whistle (on)
• blow up