1
as in scene
an outburst or display of excited anger
the boss had another blowup when someone fouled up the copy machine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to anger
to become very angry
she blew up at everybody after a very long and very bad day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to detonate
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 to smash
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
as in to crack 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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blowup
Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
This clash was starkly revealed during the recent blowup of DOGE.
—Dean Debiase, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Trading away Tucker's replacement, Caissie, (not to mention Isaac Paredes' replacement at third base, Shaw) would blow up in their faces if Tucker walks.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for blowup
Noun
The blowup was a result of both of them failing to get their needs met, and yet, only one of them was an adult.
—Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
This clash was starkly revealed during the recent blowup of DOGE.
—Dean Debiase, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Verb
During the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), China blew up the dikes for the Yellow River at Huayuankou, stalling the Japanese army and arguably saving China from conquest, but in the process exposing millions of civilians to deadly flooding and privations of all kinds.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Trading away Tucker's replacement, Caissie, (not to mention Isaac Paredes' replacement at third base, Shaw) would blow up in their faces if Tucker walks.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for blowup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blowup
Noun
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The friend, who left the scene and was unharmed, then called the police to report the attack, The Asahi Shimbun reported.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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Actors Sam Retford, Seamus McLean Ross, and Connor MacNeill tell us about filming that epic throne room scene.—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The children died in June 2023 in what prosecutors described as an eruption of violence motivated by fear of losing them to their father, Nathan John, according to the BBC, who survived the attack.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The same earthquake is believed to have triggered the eruption of Klyuchevskoy, Kamchatka's most active volcano, which began on Wednesday.—
Isabel van Brugen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In light of Collins recently being hospitalized for knee surgery, his fans were actually jarred and angered by an AI image of McCartney supposedly visiting him under far more dire circumstances.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
11 Aug. 2025
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Meanwhile, Russia stood back when Azerbaijan reclaimed control of Karabakh in the September 2023 offensive, angering Armenia, which has moved to shed Russian influence and turn westward.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The first nuclear weapon was detonated in secret at Alamogordo Bombing Range in New Mexico on July 16, 1945, inaugurating the Atomic Age.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Aug. 2025
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Bomarc rockets had jets designed to propel a W40 nuclear warhead into high-flying USSR aircraft, which would detonate in the sky, showering the earth with radioactive debris, neutralizing quite a few enemies of American freedom.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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By then, there were two outs, Jesse Winker was on second and came home on an RBI single by Starling Marte, dramatically smashing his helmet at home plate, punctuating a two-run lead.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
8 Aug. 2025
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Claressa Shields has smashed her way through the current crop of heavyweight contenders and even called out 47-year-old pioneer Laila Ali.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Might the supermodel turn out not to be everything she’s cracked up to be?—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
26 July 2025
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Edmundson said a provision in the tax bill that looks like a positive for his business isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
24 July 2025
Noun
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Getty Images To date, the post has amassed more than 900 comments from TikTok viewers, many of them poking fun at the golden retriever mother's annoyed expression and shallow huffs.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
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The chute opens, and rambunctious No. 2 bursts out with an impatient huff.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There's also been an explosion of machine identities, known as non-human identities (NHIs), that enterprises have to contend with.—
TK Keanini,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Within hours, the hospital would receive trauma victims from a series of explosions at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works.—
Salena Zito,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blowup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blowup. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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