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 And when Wednesday blew up in 2022, Ortega felt profoundly disoriented. — Alice Robb, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2026 Except one of their newest members just accidentally blew up their entire case and rationalization for it. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Since the story blew up, the warden ordered at least two raids to confiscate anything brought in illegally, TMZ adds. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026 The poetry stopped this week when CoreWeave's debt yields blew up to over 15%, where the rate of return on CoreWeave's spend is too low to justify the build. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026 Clarkson accused staff at Art of Play in Brooklyn Heights of treating her poorly, which blew up on social media. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 Hublot x Jeff Koons Hublot and Jeff Koons blew up the Classic Fusion in September. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2026 One year ago, AI ‘actress’ Tilly Norwood blew up at the Zurich Summit when she was introduced to the industry. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2026 But her list kept growing in the Eighties, when Hoffs suddenly blew up into a wildly famous rock star. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blew up
Verb
  • The ouster of Bela Bajaria from the role that Rice now occupies was messy, and angered many inside and outside of Netflix.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Cotham, previously a Democrat, switched parties in 2023, a move that gave the GOP a veto-proof supermajority in the state House and angered Democrats across North Carolina.
    — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Their use has exploded in the last three years, however, despite a sometimes-hefty price tag without insurance coverage — around $1,000 a month on the higher end.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The platform has exploded in recent years on a promise to improve patients’ access to in-network therapists.
    — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • On Wednesday night, northern and central parts of the state saw hail the size of golf balls that pummeled people’s roofs, shattered windows and dented cars, along with damaging wind gusts.
    — Wufei Yu, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Hail pummeled people's roofs, shattered windows and dented cars.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The crowd cracked up in grim commiseration (as a Mets fan, Winter could probably sympathize).
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The movie once again has personal connections for Gray, an intense drama centering on family and two brothers who get involved in a scheme that sounds promising but of course is not all it is cracked up to be.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The Broncos, at 4-11, flew back to Denver as a snowstorm snarled travel across the country.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The prolonged war in Ukraine has also snarled global wheat trade through the Black Sea, compounding economic effects and undermining food security in vulnerable countries.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • An operation in Kenscoff In the mists of the steep hills that ring southern Port-au-Prince, CNN saw one Task Force operation where helicopters manned by foreign contractors assaulted gang positions, and drones detonated amid the clatter of gunfire.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The police response has drawn criticism following an incident last week in which a 15-year-old boy lost his hand and part of his lower arm after picking up a police dispersal grenade that detonated during a demonstration in Lens.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Protesters have hurled rocks at police, burned government buildings, smashed shop windows and destroyed private property.
    — Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Carl Court / Getty In cities across the country, demonstrators set fire to newsstands and smashed windows.
    — Max Butterworth, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In May, Uthmeier joined Justice Department officials at the Miami Freedom Tower when the federal government announced its arrest warrant and charges.
    — Liv Caputo Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Richardson also announced the company plans to bring online two more rocket recovery vessels to join its existing ship, Jacklyn, named after Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos’ mother.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 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 23 Oct. 2026.

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