BLOWS UP Synonyms: 116 Similar and Opposite Words

blows up

verb

present tense third-person singular of blow up

as in has a fit

to become very angry she blew up at everybody after a very long and very bad day

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as in explodes

to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the building blew up because of a gas leak

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as in shatters

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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as in cracks 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

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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 blows up Trinity's safe world blows up when reports surface that something is killing both demons and Wardens. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 The movie blows up, and so are do lives—in exciting, but also terrifying, ways. — Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 21 Sep. 2026 John gets the upper hand and nearly takes the ring, before one of Zoe’s satellite weapons blows up half the motel, forcing Hal to use what little charge is left in the ring to protect himself and John. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026 The person who blows up at a subordinate under stress has usually been subtly condescending in one-on-ones for months. — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Frequent zoom-ins shown on screens showed sweat dripping down his face, and his hair resembled something similar to a mad scientist after an experiment blows up in their face. — Joseph Hernandez august 13, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026 Friday’s announcement blows up Paramount’s original plan to take control of Warner by the end of September. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 24 July 2026 Sharma’s unenviable job is to trim the fat before this whole thing blows up. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026 Walter recommends that budding creators parse through their analytics when a video blows up—and warns not to pop the champagne too fast. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blows up

Verb

Day to day, as the city grows, there’s also the question of traffic, which snarls the city as public transit initiatives have repeatedly struggled.

— Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Security snarls The TSA PreCheck line at terminal B in LaGuardia Airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, on March 27, 2026.

— Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026

Definition of snarls

Verb

When the gang war that’s been building all along between the Greasers and the Socs finally explodes in the second act, the violence is conveyed through movement, lighting, sound and just all around scenic brilliance.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Continue reading … ‘NEVER-ENDING’ — Huge number of noncitizens found on voter rolls as Mike Lee explodes on 'honor system'.

— , FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of explodes

Verb

When a severe heatwave shatters her family’s fragile routine and exposes her father’s dementia, Anna’s world is thrown into uncertainty.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
After the cannon booms shatters these boxes, the ensemble tumbles together in a finale worthy of Tchaikovsky.

— Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of shatters

Verb

But then Anton brings up the idea of Talia and Brooke using him as their sperm donor and Talia fully cracks up.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
During one particularly fun moment shared by the LPGA Tour on Instagram, Clark cracks up at Cunningham's energetic approach to the sport — which ended in her accidentally hitting a fan with the ball.

— Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025

Definition of cracks up

Verb

Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party champion Taiwan’s separate identity from China, a position that frequently angers Beijing, which views the island as Chinese territory.

— Reuters, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
The receptionist angers Kripke and Bert so much that they are picked up by the police — along with Stuart, who had also been arrested.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 31 July 2026

Definition of angers

Verb

His acumen for promotion, particularly in international markets, helped the commercial success of box office smashes such as Saturday Night Fever and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
The bamboo smashes into bone and the scene in my mind bursts into a million white pieces.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of smashes

Verb

Continue reading … DECISION DAY — Judge announces order on Lindsay Clancy's motion for not guilty finding, weeks after mistrial.

— , FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Throughout the episode, Luke texts Joy words of encouragement and romantically announces that a plate of vegetables at a restaurant reminded him of her.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026