1
as in claps
a loud explosive sound
a sharp blast of the horn startled the other driver
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in blows
a sudden brief rush of wind
a surprise blast stole the umbrella right out of his hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in explosions
the act or an instance of exploding
the blast destroyed the building completely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bashes
a social gathering
a wild fraternity blast that lasted a whole weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in shatters
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fires
to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force
artillery that could blast cannonballs from hundreds of yards
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
as in attacks
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
blasted the new governor for every little misstep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in speeds
to proceed or move quickly
rowdy teenagers blasting down the road in a sports car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of blasts
Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
This winter, these Arctic blasts seem relentless for much of the nation east of the Rockies.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026
Drop hammers, trucks with vibrating baseplates, and dynamite blasts send seismic waves through the Earth’s subsurface to a grid of geophones.
—Lauren Steele, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
Solar flares are considered to be brief but intense blasts of high-energy radiation from the sun’s surface.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
Three blasts indicated an ICE operation in progress.
—Asra Q. Nomani , Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The blasts killed twelve people and injured sixteen.
—Michael Holtz, New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2026
This will also be accompanied by a larger scale pattern shift in the upper atmosphere that will favor fewer blasts of Arctic air and more mild, moist air from the Pacific and Gulf.
—Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Video footage that appeared to be taken at the scene captured loud blasts and the sky glowing following explosions that began around midnight and lasted about two hours in the area of Diori Hamani International Airport.
—Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
Jack Fink, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Jordan blasts his second home run of the day with one out to push the Aggies' lead back up to nine.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
That first date between Pfeiffer and Modine, for example, is intercut with an action sequence in which Stockwell blasts his way out of an assassination attempt.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 4 Feb. 2026
As Sons points out, plants want consistent warmth, not blasts of heat, which can cause scorching.
—Heather Bien, The Spruce, 19 Jan. 2026
Eventually, Bree blasts the girl with a hypocritical, if technically correct, speech that sleeping with a middle-aged married man is gross and embarrassing and shouldn’t be talked about.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2026
As Europop blasts from the speakers, the dancer performs cartwheels and backflips in the general vicinity of the robot, which at one point drops to the floor to crank out some push-ups.
—James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
And then, out of nowhere, the Mandarin blasts you with a force beam just before Fin Fang Foom tries punching your iron head through your iron rectum.
—New Atlas, 29 Dec. 2025
The planet, designated PSR J2322-2650b, has a mass around that of Jupiter and orbits a dead star called a pulsar that blasts out twin jets of radiation that sweep across the universe like a cosmic lighthouse.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 16 Dec. 2025
Noun
Loud blasts were heard throughout the region, from the North Bay to areas of Contra Costa and Alameda counties and down through Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
This winter, these Arctic blasts seem relentless for much of the nation east of the Rockies.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026
Drop hammers, trucks with vibrating baseplates, and dynamite blasts send seismic waves through the Earth’s subsurface to a grid of geophones.
—Lauren Steele, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
Solar flares are considered to be brief but intense blasts of high-energy radiation from the sun’s surface.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
Three blasts indicated an ICE operation in progress.
—Asra Q. Nomani , Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The blasts killed twelve people and injured sixteen.
—Michael Holtz, New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2026
This will also be accompanied by a larger scale pattern shift in the upper atmosphere that will favor fewer blasts of Arctic air and more mild, moist air from the Pacific and Gulf.
—Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Video footage that appeared to be taken at the scene captured loud blasts and the sky glowing following explosions that began around midnight and lasted about two hours in the area of Diori Hamani International Airport.
—Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
Cornyn blasts Paxton as campaign stop in Austin Campaigning in Austin, Cornyn blasted Paxton and warned Republicans what would happen if Paxton became their party's nominee and faces either of the Democrats, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett or State Representative James Talarico in November.
—Jack Fink, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Jordan blasts his second home run of the day with one out to push the Aggies' lead back up to nine.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
That first date between Pfeiffer and Modine, for example, is intercut with an action sequence in which Stockwell blasts his way out of an assassination attempt.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 4 Feb. 2026
As Sons points out, plants want consistent warmth, not blasts of heat, which can cause scorching.
—Heather Bien, The Spruce, 19 Jan. 2026
Eventually, Bree blasts the girl with a hypocritical, if technically correct, speech that sleeping with a middle-aged married man is gross and embarrassing and shouldn’t be talked about.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2026
As Europop blasts from the speakers, the dancer performs cartwheels and backflips in the general vicinity of the robot, which at one point drops to the floor to crank out some push-ups.
—James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
And then, out of nowhere, the Mandarin blasts you with a force beam just before Fin Fang Foom tries punching your iron head through your iron rectum.
—New Atlas, 29 Dec. 2025
The planet, designated PSR J2322-2650b, has a mass around that of Jupiter and orbits a dead star called a pulsar that blasts out twin jets of radiation that sweep across the universe like a cosmic lighthouse.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blasts
Noun
-
The latest in what appears to be an unending stream of storms thundered through the Bay Area on Tuesday, producing violent claps of thunder and lightning bright enough to light up momentarily the gray and sometimes dark sky.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
These were claps of relief and encouragement from a European audience bracing for a mauling like JD Vance’s onslaught last year.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the first half, both teams traded blows, with the largest lead being seven by the Bulldogs.—
Mukala Kabongo,
Boston Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
He is seen performing first aid, administering back blows to the infant to remove the blockage.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Thermal runaway is a self-sustaining chain reaction where a little bit of pressure or heat starts producing even more heat, leading to a rapid rise in temperature that can trigger deadly fires or explosions.—
Jan Wagner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The violence followed explosions in Kabul that Afghan officials blamed on Pakistan.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The result Saturday was a mid-winter party that felt different than any of their previous bashes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Additionally, the 2026 Golden Globes weekend includes pre-and post-show bashes hosted by Universal, Amazon MGM Studios, Netflix and BAFTA.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After a possible murder shatters shatters the lives of three women in a decades-long friendship, Imperfect Women kicks off into a high-octane thriller that is sure to keep us guessing until its final minute.—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
Refinery29,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Imperfect Women, created for television by Annie Weisman and based on Araminta Hall’s novel of the same name, examines a crime that shatters the lives of a decades-long friendship of three women.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After catching Whitney showboating on CNN, Henry fires Jacob, their accountant on the take.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Levi shoves someone just out of the frame, demands to know who threw stones, and later fires a shot, seemingly away from the crowd.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At times, his social role will overlap with that of other weight-room regulars, not least of which is the gym grandpa, who hangs around and shoots the breeze and doles out tips on how to lift.—
Daniel Engber,
The Atlantic,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Chelsea fatally shoots Mott to protect the first lady — unknown to her at the time, Mott was unarmed.—
Ashley Boucher,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The third mayoral candidate, Mike Liebelson, is largely self-funded, and attacks both rivals for accepting money from developers and other special interests.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
-
In April 2025, Dane announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells controlling muscles throughout the body.—
Maria Sherman,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blasts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blasts. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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