1
as in flaring (up)
to become very angry she blew up at everybody after a very long and very bad day
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2
as in exploding
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the building blew up because of a gas leak
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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
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4
as in cracking 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
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 The wires are crossing, the cover stories are blowing up. —
Emily Longeretta, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026 Kimberly Shaw blowing up the apartment building at the end of season 4 is a core memory for fans. —Andrea Lavinthal, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026 Alberto was redshirting his first season at Indiana, while the Hoosiers were blowing up in their first year under Cignetti. —Seth Emerson, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026 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
Emily Longeretta, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026 Kimberly Shaw blowing up the apartment building at the end of season 4 is a core memory for fans. —Andrea Lavinthal, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026 Alberto was redshirting his first season at Indiana, while the Hoosiers were blowing up in their first year under Cignetti. —Seth Emerson, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blowing up
Verb
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Both Monahon and Carroll are writing about transformation of the paradigm-exploding kind.— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
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That is, until the union starts not-so-quietly exploding during a vicious screaming match at their home following a fundraising event.— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In a race for the ages, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday, shattering the previous men’s world record by an astonishing 65 seconds.— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
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The Kenyan runner won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, shattering the previous men’s world record by 65 seconds.— Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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The camera cut to O’Leary cracking up in the audience.— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Two Massachusetts men have pleaded guilty to breaking into Harvard Medical School and detonating fireworks last Halloween night, a crime that caught the eye of FBI Director Kash Patel.— Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
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And some advanced mines have counters that will let a certain number of ships pass before detonating.— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But as anyone who’s dropped a mug knows, ceramics are also brittle and prone to smashing.— Caitlin Kennedy, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026
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Police officers arrived at her Hollywood Hills home in Los Angeles and learned that the attackers had left the woman inside after allegedly smashing her jaw and choking her.— Francie Ebert, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In addition, strong winds over desert areas could result in briefly lowered visibilities to well under a mile at times in blowing dust or blowing sand.— CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2026
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This kind of build-up is unusual because volatile elements like sodium, which can get exposed after an object is blasted with micrometeorites, are usually later depleted by solar winds blowing from the sun and the general influence of space.— Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Those sweaters have so much mojo, as shown by Allen just demolishing what looked to be a Corona.— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
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And the city has further rules around demolishing older buildings, passed in late 2024.— Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Former UConn women’s basketball forward Ice Brady is headed to the ACC out of the transfer portal, announcing her commitment Sunday to Florida State.— Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2026
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The star liked the post announcing the news on Instagram.— Sarah Sotoodeh, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blowing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/blowing%20up. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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