1
as in exploding
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
a balloon popped suddenly and startled us all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in snapping
to break suddenly with an explosive sound
the last strand popped, causing the chandelier to drop to the floor with a great crash
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in shattering
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 shooting
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
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 popping
And the same level of improvement that showed from 3-point range a year ago is now popping up from inside the arc.
—
Fred Katz, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
But for a generation that has spent their entire lives being entertained by an algorithm, popping a disc into a player, sitting back, and knowing that their viewing experience won’t be interrupted by slow Internet seems almost radical.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
A-list guests were popping in and out, and suave pilots were swinging through.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2026
Reserves like Josh Green (plus-36) and Sion James (plus-30) had eye-popping plus-minus numbers, while LaMelo Ball (who shot 5-for-19) was a minus-5.
—Scott Fowler
march 4, Charlotte Observer, 4 Mar. 2026
Central Texas has a year-round allergy season with mold popping up at any time.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
She would not be opposed to popping into the H Mart across the street, either.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Dashcam footage from the patrol car shows the man popping a wheelie on Folsom Street near Regent Avenue.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Nvidia’s shares were little changed in extended trading after initially popping, reflecting investors’ lofty expectations for the company, which is valued at almost $5 trillion thanks to its dominance in AI processors.
—Katie Tarasov,ari Levy, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
Fred Katz, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
But for a generation that has spent their entire lives being entertained by an algorithm, popping a disc into a player, sitting back, and knowing that their viewing experience won’t be interrupted by slow Internet seems almost radical.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
A-list guests were popping in and out, and suave pilots were swinging through.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2026
Reserves like Josh Green (plus-36) and Sion James (plus-30) had eye-popping plus-minus numbers, while LaMelo Ball (who shot 5-for-19) was a minus-5.
—Scott Fowler
march 4, Charlotte Observer, 4 Mar. 2026
Central Texas has a year-round allergy season with mold popping up at any time.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
She would not be opposed to popping into the H Mart across the street, either.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Dashcam footage from the patrol car shows the man popping a wheelie on Folsom Street near Regent Avenue.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Nvidia’s shares were little changed in extended trading after initially popping, reflecting investors’ lofty expectations for the company, which is valued at almost $5 trillion thanks to its dominance in AI processors.
—Katie Tarasov,ari Levy, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for popping
Verb
-
Plowden made his presence felt early, exploding to the basket for a dunk before hitting a 3-pointer later in the first quarter.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Between the 1919 Black Sox scandal and the 2005 World Series title, two-time White Sox owner Bill Veeck was a sports marketing pioneer, literally adding fireworks to the fan experience with the first exploding scoreboard at the original Comiskey Park.—
Ryan Baker,
CBS News,
7 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
-
Ending that three-year skid to make the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003 would require snapping LAFC’s three-tournament run of getting that far themselves.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
From thunderous victory to shattering downfall, this play delivers sweeping action sequences, political intrigue, and a theatrical experience that hits with the force of a battle drum.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
-
That burst of momentum came in a primary that was already shattering spending records.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Kennard, shooting 50% from the three-point line, is on track to become just the sixth NBA player to shoot 50% or better from three over an entire season.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Experts also reported little evidence that Iran is actively resuming its efforts to enrich uranium, let alone building a bomb-detonating mechanism.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026
-
There are other photographs of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor taken in dark rooms with a flash detonating straight into his face.—
Christopher Anderson,
Vanity Fair,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There were also stories about Reinsdorf not being amused by the wise-cracking or esoteric commentary by Benetti during play-by-play, as if baseball were a deadly serious sport that should be treated with more dignity.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
-
This is a grand adventure and cracking good mystery awash with gaslighting, brawls, murders, red herrings and a secret society.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Costco recommends wrapping it in a towel and smashing it into pieces with a hammer.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Vulture hosted a special screening of the pilot with ABC on March 3, and Speedman answered all of our questions about smashing props and doing his own stunts.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That argument even applies to the US itself, since simply drilling more at home doesn’t provide full cover for US consumers.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The first quarter Plum set the tone by drilling three consecutive three-pointers.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Popping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/popping. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
