blowing up

Definition of blowing upnext
present participle of blow up
1
2
as in exploding
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 shattering
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 blowing up What’s more, the combo is actually comfortable; of course, that depends on the shoes, but fitted sock booties like hers have been blowing up thanks to their, well, sock-like comfort. Eva Thomas, InStyle, 10 Apr. 2026 What about destroying the stockpile by blowing up the canisters? Sheena Samu, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026 Since the early days of the pandemic — which is when many Stationerycore fans and creators at the festival date their stationery awakening — the stationery industry has been steadily expanding, even blowing up. Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026 After years as a child and teen star, Moretz comes into her own as the leading lady, expressing an understandably selfish need to explore what could have been, at the risk of blowing up the wedding and her own relationships and friendships. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2026 The gap between the fan’s triumphant bald selfie and the trade blowing up was half an hour. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026 Aritzia opens location at Kenwood mall after blowing up on TikTok. Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 Feb. 2026 After blowing up the friend group, Stephen tells Lucy to leave with him and, certainly not to the surprise of Van Patten or White, Lucy does. Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026 While waiting for flights to resume, Charli’s character Bethany flirts with the idea of blowing up her life by rekindling a romance with an old friend who owns a flower shop in Warsaw. Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blowing up
Verb
  • Ponson had heard the lore of fast-developing storms in the northern Gulf — systems that escaped the notice of meteorologists — before exploding into near-gale winds, towering waves and rare but deadly storms.
    Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
  • But Explosive News’ videos might be the world’s most potent example of slopaganda yet, changing hearts and minds—or at least generating lots of clicks—one exploding toy battleship at a time.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • But customers should not expect earth-shattering menu changes.
    Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
  • With large hailstones capable of shattering windshields and denting vehicles, meteorologists are urging residents to move cars into garages, covered parking areas or sheltered spots.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The dogs were confused, not sure whether to attack or run for cover, and Susan was cracking up.
    Sid Evans, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The camera cut to O’Leary cracking up in the audience.
    Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Named after the infamous Japanese suicide pilots of World War II, these kinds of drones can actively hunt for targets, track them, and then ram into them, detonating their explosive payloads.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
  • To kick-start the program, Teller wanted to create an instant harbor by burying, and then detonating, five thermonuclear bombs in an Indigenous village in coastal northwestern Alaska.
    The Conversation, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In footage shared by the BBC on X, Medvedev, who suffered a 6-0 6-0 loss during the 49-minute match, was filmed smashing up his tennis racket six times and angrily tossing it across the court.
    Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
  • At the nearly 17-mile-long circular particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) that sits deep below the French Alps, CERN scientists recreated the quark-gluon plasma by smashing together atomic nuclei of iron at near-light speed.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2026
  • The city did not adopt its own grocery tax to replace it, blowing a roughly $80 million hole in its budget.
    Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The musician and fashion mogul began the process of demolishing the architectural gem, completely stripping its electricity, plumbing, bathrooms, and windows.
    India Roby, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The Michigan basketball team is headed to the NCAA national championship game Monday night after demolishing Arizona 93-71 in the Final Four on Saturday in Indianapolis.
    Brian Manzullo, Freep.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Chawaa - that's Big Chief Demond Melancon of the Young Seminole Hunters announcing his arrival.
    Nichole Marks, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The fire forced evacuations and closures, with Moreno Valley College announcing it would be closed Friday and Saturday, canceling all events on its main campus.
    Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Blowing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blowing%20up. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

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