BLEW UP Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

blew up

verb

past tense of blow up

as in angered

to become very angry she blew up at everybody after a very long and very bad day

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in exploded

to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the building blew up because of a gas leak

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in cracked up

to praise or publicize lavishly and often excessively the advertisement blows the new soda up to the point where I half expected to be transported to a higher level of consciousness

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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 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 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 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

Definition of angered

Verb

In one of the most dramatic bouts of rapid intensification of a hurricane in the eastern Pacific Ocean on record, Hurricane Polo has exploded into a major Category 5 storm, with more strengthening expected through the day.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Social media commentary on Heated Rivalry exploded after the series launch, conquering my Facebook page like no other pop culture phenomenon before it.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of exploded

Verb

Sitting by the defense table in a wheelchair during Wednesday’s proceedings, Weinstein looked straight ahead as Haley, 49, told the court in tears that her self-esteem had been shattered by the attack and by having to relive it repeatedly.

— Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026
Zhu has lived in four tech houses, and her view of them as utopic spaces for entrepreneurs was shattered by her experience.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of shattered

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

Definition of cracked up

Verb

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
That, plus some afternoon thunderstorms, snarled airport operations on Sunday evening.

— Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2026

Definition of snarled

Verb

Sadiq said two attackers detonated explosives inside the compound Saturday morning and that police had killed six assailants so far, not including the bombers.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
The backpack slid between a victim’s legs and detonated outside a courtroom.

— Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of detonated

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