blew up

past tense of blow up
1
2
as in exploded
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the building blew up because of a gas leak

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in shattered
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive blew up the biggest rocks and then cleared them away

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blew up The trio blew up with their drum & bass productions before expanding into electro, house, pop and beyond, gaining prestige for the complexity and meticulousness of their productions. Katie Bain, Billboard, 17 Sep. 2026 The stock traded above $500 in 2021, then spent the next three years getting cut in half, then cut in half again, as growth slowed, the Grail acquisition blew up under regulatory pressure and the market wanted nothing to do with it. Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026 Then Ditka blew up, telling him the film was intentionally left blank. Dan Pompei, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Over the summer, CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss blew up the storied institution by firing its executive producer and key correspondents and bringing in far less experienced replacements, including several right-leaning opinion journalists. Josef Adalian, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026 Suspect accused of illegally operating business Two months before the building blew up, a neighboring business owner noticed extremely high levels of carbon dioxide in their business, according to an affidavit. Josh Kelly, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 Singer-songwriter who blew up on TikTok showcases indie-pop originals. Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026 The track, while already fairly widespread, blew up over the summer and has sat at Number One since July 4, for nine consecutive weeks. Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2026 The track blew up on social media during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and became Eslabón Armado’s first entry on the Billboard charts. Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blew up
Verb
  • But Trump’s solution, to import 300,000 metric tons of beef and sell it at a reduced cost, angered American ranchers.
    Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Prince Harry’s surprise UK move has reportedly angered several family members.
    Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Walker took the handoff, hit the seam, and exploded 60 yards to the house, becoming the first Chiefs back to log over 140 rushing yards and a touchdown in a game since Kareem Hunt in 2017.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • El Niño has prevented that same type of wind shear over the exceptionally warm Pacific and activity exploded.
    Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • In the mountains on the North Carolina-Tennessee border, rains of up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) turned usually gentle streams into torrents that moved trees, boulders, homes and vehicles, and shattered century-old flood records.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • An officer allegedly saw fresh footprints in the snow leading to the back door and a glass pane that had been shattered.
    Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Even so, the cost and cost recovery of each may not turn out as they were cracked up to be.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Even professional designers have had to learn the hard way that some types of furniture pieces aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
    Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The pipeline has been relied upon to transport production from the Persian Gulf as transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains snarled.
    Harvey Stober, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
  • That, plus some afternoon thunderstorms, snarled airport operations on Sunday evening.
    Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The backpack slid between a victim’s legs and detonated outside a courtroom.
    Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Less than a decade earlier, his wife and then-3-year-old daughter were on the building's first floor when a truck bomb detonated in the underground garage.
    USA TODAY staff, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Vandals smashed out the windows of the Haymarket Pub & Brewery in Chicago's West Loop early Monday.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The image of babies smashed to bits is likely to arouse protests like Abraham’s.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • One month before the Pentagon announced its first equity stake in a company, its top lawyer asked the White House to explain why the deal wouldn’t break the law.
    Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The victory came after Northwestern announced a three-year contract extension through 2031 for fourth-year coach Braun on Thursday.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Blew up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blew%20up. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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