blowups

noun

plural of blowup
1
as in scenes
an outburst or display of excited anger the boss had another blowup when someone fouled up the copy machine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in eruptions
the act or an instance of exploding the last blowup of the volcano flattened trees for miles around

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 blowups LLMs are great at finding blowups that exist—at searching the infinite landscape of fluid scenarios and plucking out the precise situation that breaks the equations. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026 But through a little more than a year together, there have been no blowups with Metcalf. — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 His philosophy aims to avoid blowups, even if that sometimes means missing opportunities to maximize profits. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 July 2026 The history of peacemaking – from Kadesh to the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian war, to the Belfast Agreement that halted the 30-year sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland – shows that public blowups and threats to walk out are normal stages, not proof of failure. — Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 25 June 2026 Schedule the fight Most blowups happen when one person is already activated and the other gets caught off guard and slips into defense mode—which means no one is actually listening. — Angela Haupt, Time, 11 June 2026 Continue reading … NEWSROOM DRAMA — Scott Pelley fired at CBS News after blowups with Bari Weiss, new '60 Minutes' producer. — FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026 Two of those outings belong to Tanner Houck, who gave up 11 and 12 runs in 2 1/3 innings in a pair of blowups last season before being shut down and eventually undergoing Tommy John surgery. — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 Apr. 2026 If Salley had been patient, Craig would have one of his inevitable blowups, and Charley would have gotten the ick faster than Rodrigo logs onto Ticketmaster when Madonna announces a new tour. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blowups
  1. scenes
  2. eruptions
  3. explosions
  4. outbursts
  5. huffs
  6. fits
  7. reactions
  8. tantrums
Noun
  • Below, Netflix‘s new six-episode thriller, begins with one of my favorite TV scenes of the year.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • While refuting any suggestion of police repression, Lecornu condemned violence on the margins of protests, which were mostly peaceful Tuesday, despite the dramatic scenes that dominated coverage.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of scenes
Noun
  • If the incoming eruptions interact favorably with Earth's magnetic field, auroras could potentially reach much farther south than currently anticipated.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Volcanologists could use the technology to map internal magma chambers and lava tubes to help predict eruptions.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of eruptions
Noun
  • The shoot involved firing blanks and igniting explosions, theatrics that shocked the film’s residential neighbors and spurred concerns over public safety.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • As the car drives on while dodging a series of explosions, a seemingly endless number of terrorists armed with automatic weapons shoot at it to no avail.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of explosions
Noun
  • Michael Douglas was subject to violent and angry outbursts as well.
    — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • There was no notice to staff that swings in blood sugar levels can cause the kind of emotional distress and behavioral outbursts that got Christian in trouble.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of outbursts
Noun
  • David walks out of the kitchen and Moira huffs and takes his spot over the pot.
    — Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
  • As much as Payton bristles about media storylines and huffs about tempo questions, the Broncos went 25 minutes without a first down against Las Vegas.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 22 Nov. 2025
Definition of huffs
Noun
  • Gucci opted for white and black denim, though fits spanned classic straight to low and slouchy.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • During that drive full of fits and starts, Rodgers had moments of frustration.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of fits
Noun
  • Previous peels, microneedling, IPL, lasers, or other cosmetic procedures, including dates and reactions.
    — Malana VanTyler, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Prior to that time, Kennedy’s able to rely on behind-the-scenes footage from the Rust production, as well as footage from the interrogation and press reactions in the aftermath of the accidental shooting.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of reactions
Noun
  • Ah yes—in addition to memorizing lines and choreography, Hiddleston and Atwell were both reckoning with sleep deprivation and toddler tantrums.
    — Zing Tsjeng, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Developmental pediatrician Carrie Cuffman told the Cleveland Clinic that attention-seeking tantrums are one case where staying out of it can help.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of tantrums

Browse Nearby Words

blow up
blowups
blowy
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Cite this Entry

“Blowups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blowups. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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