blast

1 a loud explosive sound a sharp blast of the horn startled the other driver Synonyms bang, clap, boom, crack, crash, pop, report, slam, smash, snap, thunderclap, thwack, whack, whomp, whumpRelated Words thunk, wham; clang, clangor, clank, clash; knock, rap, tap; blare, clamor, howl, hubbub, hue and cry, hullabaloo, outcry, roar, tumult, uproar

2 a sudden brief rush of wind a surprise blast stole the umbrella right out of his hands Synonyms gust, blow, flurry, scud, williwaw, windblastRelated Words breeze, zephyr; current, draft; air, breath, waft; puff, whiff; bluster, gale, hurricane, squall, tempest, tornado, windstorm; northeaster, norther, northerly, northwester, southeaster, southwester, westerly

3 the act or an instance of exploding the blast destroyed the building completely Synonyms explosion, blowup, burst, bursting, detonation, eruption, outburstRelated Words discharge, firing, shooting; blowout, flare-up; bang, boom, pop; airburst, groundburstAntonyms implosion

4 a social gathering a wild fraternity blast that lasted a whole weekend Synonyms affair, bash, binge, party, blowout, do, event, fete (or fête), function, get-together, powwow, reception, shindigRelated Words benefit, fund-raiser; ball, dance, formal, prom; celebration, gala, occasion; bacchanal, bacchanalia, orgy, saturnalia; bake, clambake, cocktail party, hen party, house party, housewarming, icebreaker, kaffeeklatsch, kegger (also keg party), klatch (also klatsch), masquerade, meet and greet, mixer, salon, shower, social, soiree (or soirée), stag, supper, symposium, tea, tea party

1 to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive the highway engineers will have to blast that hill in order to put a road through here Synonyms blow, blow up, burst, demolish, explode, pop, shatter, smash Related Words dynamite; annihilate, decimate, destroy; ruin, wreck; detonate, discharge; fragment, splinter Near Antonyms collapse, implode

2 to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force artillery that could blast cannonballs from hundreds of yards Synonyms shoot, discharge, fire, loose, squeeze offRelated Words launch, project; blaze (at), snipe (at); cast, catapult, fling, heave, hurl, hurtle, lob, pelt, pitch, sling, throw, toss

3 to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force the recruits were all blasting away at the target range Synonyms shoot, discharge, fireRelated Words blaze, pepper; plink, potshot, snipe

4 to criticize harshly and usually publicly blasted the new governor for every little misstep Synonyms abuse, assail, bash, belabor, attack, castigate, excoriate, jump (on), lambaste (or lambast), potshot, savage, scathe, slam, trash, vituperateRelated Words berate, harangue, harass, harry, revile, scold, whip; blaspheme, curse, execrate, imprecate, profane; affront, insult, slur; asperse, bad-mouth, belittle, blackguard, disparage, put down; libel, slander, traduce, vilify; chastise, chide, criticize, lace (into), rebuke, reprimand, reproof; fulminate, lash (out)Near Antonyms acclaim, commend, compliment, hail, laud, praise

5 to proceed or move quickly rowdy teenagers blasting down the road in a sports car Synonyms barrel, belt, hurry, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb [slang], bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, run, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoomRelated Words beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle; stampede, streak, whiz (or whizz); gallop, jog, sprint; accelerate, quicken, step out; catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake; arrow, beelineNear Antonyms dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry; amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll; decelerate, slow (down or up)Antonyms crawl, creep, poke