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
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Recent Examples of popping
The 21-year-old slugger has hit four homers in 28 games and 109 plate appearances this year, popping one in each of his last two games.
—
Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
My colleague Christopher Reynolds reported that, as of May, northbound traffic at Ragged Point, the southern gateway to Big Sur, has risen an eye-popping 900% year-over-year, and local businesses are experiencing their busiest summer in years.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Artistic director Matt Morrow is no stranger to eye-popping productions on the Lesher stage.
—Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
In cities around the United States, Mexico and Canada, fan zones are popping up as a gathering place for the soccer-crazed and the soccer-curious to come and enjoy the Beautiful Game.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
The champagne bottles were popping Tuesday at the dock in Morehead City, North Carolina, where a crew of fishermen brought in the biggest billfish ever weighed at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 11 June 2026
Given the eye-popping ratings, not a single compensatory makegood unit has been put into service to placate advertisers, who frankly are getting a hell of a bargain.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 June 2026
See firsthand what HigherDose’s Full Body Red Light Mat can do for your wellbeing by popping into one of CorePower’s new collaborative classes — happening weekly in cities like Austin, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Huntington Beach, San Diego, and San Francisco.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Random finances keep popping up that set us back.
—Amy Eskind, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
My colleague Christopher Reynolds reported that, as of May, northbound traffic at Ragged Point, the southern gateway to Big Sur, has risen an eye-popping 900% year-over-year, and local businesses are experiencing their busiest summer in years.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Artistic director Matt Morrow is no stranger to eye-popping productions on the Lesher stage.
—Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
In cities around the United States, Mexico and Canada, fan zones are popping up as a gathering place for the soccer-crazed and the soccer-curious to come and enjoy the Beautiful Game.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
The champagne bottles were popping Tuesday at the dock in Morehead City, North Carolina, where a crew of fishermen brought in the biggest billfish ever weighed at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 11 June 2026
Given the eye-popping ratings, not a single compensatory makegood unit has been put into service to placate advertisers, who frankly are getting a hell of a bargain.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 June 2026
See firsthand what HigherDose’s Full Body Red Light Mat can do for your wellbeing by popping into one of CorePower’s new collaborative classes — happening weekly in cities like Austin, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Huntington Beach, San Diego, and San Francisco.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Random finances keep popping up that set us back.
—Amy Eskind, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for popping
Verb
-
Finally, should the government have more control over the exploding field of artificial intelligence?—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
-
This means black holes go out with a bang, with lower-mass PBHs exploding at different epochs of the universe.—
Jonathan O'Callaghan,
Scientific American,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The famed ducks are also worth snapping a picture of.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
-
Yoon and his wife stand by the front door, snapping the snow off their coats before removing their shoes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Over the prairie there would be lightning that evening, dropping in shattering bolts from swollen purple clouds.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
Renowned for his defense-shattering runs, vision, and dribbling, his time at FC Barcelona was legendary.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
As the Jim Jacobses and John Deckers were shooting the last elk of Pennsylvania, their western counterparts were doing their part to exterminate the species continent-wide.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
Kingsbury, continuing the painstaking review of security camera footage that has marked the trial, said Sergio Harris, 38, was the first to open fire, fatally shooting Davazia Turner before Harris, himself, was killed.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Investigators found that Aliji intended to drive a Volkswagen Beetle equipped with fake police sirens and flashing blue lights toward crowds outside the venue before detonating explosives concealed inside a Red Bull can.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
-
Its material originated during October 1977 sessions at Memphis’ Ardent Studios, where the original lineup — the late Lux Interior, Poison Ivy, Bryan Gregory and Nick Knox — worked with Chilton shortly before detonating the underground rock landscape.—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The one-liners, which Foxworthy began cracking in the late 1980s, helped propel the comedian to mainstream stardom in the 90s.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
-
Further, when algorithms are periodically strengthened to account for advances in cracking abilities, the process occurs automatically, with no interaction required.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Video shows a gang of Pokémon card thieves smashing display cases at a New Jersey hobby store and filling a trash bag with thousands of dollars worth of collectibles, according to police.—
Nick Caloway,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
In 2016, voters were asked to choose between a populist candidate dogged by questions about his integrity, judgment, decency, civility, empathy, and respect for everyone from complete strangers to his own wife, and an overqualified, glass-ceiling-smashing woman.—
Shannon A. Mullen,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Storage would fill, drilling economics would worsen, and production cuts would follow.—
Dan Eberhart,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
The process begins with a femtosecond laser cutting GaN dielets from a wafer and drilling precise cavities into the diamond substrate.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Popping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/popping. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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