as in bang
a loud explosive sound
the soda can opened with a sharp pop
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in dad
a male human parent
ask your pop if he knows where the keys to the shed are
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to explode
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
a balloon popped suddenly and startled us all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to smash
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
popping popcorn over a campfire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to shoot
to strike with a missile from a gun
went into the woods hoping to pop the rabbit that was eating our vegetables
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in fashionable
enjoying widespread favor or approval
interested in the pop fiction that most of the other publishing houses happily churned out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of pop
Bryan West, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Brighten a simple monochromatic look with a pop of chartreuse—say, a chic pair of wedge sandals.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026
Abby Price, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
Commissioned by the British comedian Paul Smith (no relation to the fashion designer who created his own limited-run Mini), its eye-popping paint flips from blue to bright purple under the workshop’s strip lights.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2026
Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
As with past years, the pop-culture confab will feature comics artists and animators, authors, anime and animation voice actors, cosplayers and notable gamers alongside panels, kid-friendly offerings, autographs, a marketplace and more.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pop
Noun
Only time will tell if the pop star will bring the football team luck this upcoming season.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Brighten a simple monochromatic look with a pop of chartreuse—say, a chic pair of wedge sandals.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
There’s just something about those soft white and pink petals popping up along quiet streets, rolling hills, and old homes that feels timeless.
—Abby Price, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
Commissioned by the British comedian Paul Smith (no relation to the fashion designer who created his own limited-run Mini), its eye-popping paint flips from blue to bright purple under the workshop’s strip lights.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Ribbons of gold glitter polish are what make the design really pop.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
As with past years, the pop-culture confab will feature comics artists and animators, authors, anime and animation voice actors, cosplayers and notable gamers alongside panels, kid-friendly offerings, autographs, a marketplace and more.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pop
Verb
-
Sudan slid into chaos in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the militant group exploded into open fighting in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Nineteenth-century naval mines exploded on contact.—
Jon R. Lindsay,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The cysts are harmless but greatly affect the guard’s range of motion, including the flexing and snapping motions necessary to take a jump shot.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The win not only snaps a three-game losing streak but also strengthens UCF’s NCAA Tournament resume with Selection Sunday a few days away.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Wearing hooded sweatshirts and full-face masks, the robbers ordered employees to one part of the room at gunpoint before two of them smashed the glass display cases with sledgehammers, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.—
Nick Sullivan
March 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Rocco-Herrmann/Getty Images After the price of silver smashed through a record $100 per ounce milestone in late January, many investors would be forgiven for expecting the metal to continue its remarkable surge upward largely unimpeded.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The family of Lisa Lopez-Galvan, who was shot and killed in the mass shooting that erupted at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl rally in February 2024, left the Jackson County courthouse in tears on Monday afternoon.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Adebayo was scorching hot from the start, totaling 31 points in Tuesday’s first quarter on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, 5-of-8 shooting from three-point range and 6-of-7 shooting from the foul line.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This spring, total comfort doesn't have to be at odds with looking fashionable.—
Antonio Fuentes,
Glamour,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The pleated crewneck and button-up details add a fashionable twist.—
Jacquelyn Smith,
Parents,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In Lebanon and parts of Syria, Israel detonated thousands of pagers of Hezbollah officials and bombed the group’s headquarters in southern Beirut, killing its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
-
None of the devices were detonated, and nobody was injured.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The storms shattered windows, tore off roofs and smashed vehicles in Kankakee.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Within 10 minutes, her windows shattered, the front door blew open and drywall started falling on top of her.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Garza drilled a wide-open 3-pointer on his first touch of the game to spark a 10-1 Celtics run.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Kate Holmquist drilled a 3-pointer just over two minutes into the second half to give the Crimson a 12-point edge, and the Raptors were never within single digits the rest of the way.—
Andrew Cornelius,
Twin Cities,
11 Mar. 2026
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Cite this Entry
“Pop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pop. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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