1
a
: a violent gust of wind
a cold blast of air
b
: the effect or accompaniment (such as sleet) of such a gust
a blast of freezing rain
2
: the sound produced by an impulsion of air through a wind instrument or whistle
the blast of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah
the trumpet's blast
3
: something resembling a gust of wind: such as
a
: a stream of air or gas forced through a hole
b
: a vehement expression of feeling
… let out a great blast of mirth …—
Marcia Davenport
Marcia Davenporta blast of anger
c
: the continuous blowing to which a charge of ore or metal is subjected in a blast furnace
4
a
: a sudden pernicious influence or effect
got a blast of reality when she left home
a blast of criticism
… virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast …—Shakespeare
Shakespeare
b
botany
: a disease of plants marked by the formation of destructive lesions on leaves and inflorescences
5
a
: an explosion or violent detonation
The blast killed eight people.
a shotgun blast
b
: the shock wave of an explosion
felt the blast from several miles away
c
7
: an enjoyably exciting experience, occasion, or event
I had a blast.
Their wedding was a blast.
especially
: party
8
: the sending of a message (such as a fax or an email) in multiple copies to numerous recipients at one time
The campaign then sends Jane targeted messages via canvassers, phone calls, ads, and its increasingly sophisticated email blasts.—Tim Murphy
—often used before another nounTim Murphya blast fax
blasted; blasting; blasts
1
: blare
music blasting from the radio
2
: to make a vigorous attack
blasting away at her opponent
3
a
: to use an explosive
blast through the wall
b
: shoot
They walked in and started blasting.
4
: to hit a golf ball out of a sand trap with explosive force
5
: to proceed rapidly or aggressively
blasting down the ski slope
1
a
: to injure by or as if by the action of wind
young crops being blasted by the hot dry wind
b
: blight
The entire crop was blasted by fungus.
The injury blasted her dreams of winning a gold medal.
2
a
: to shatter by or as if by an explosive
blasting out nearly all of the building's windows
b
: to remove, open, or form by or as if by an explosive
blast a hole through the wall
… blast away these barriers to progress …—Elmer Davis
Elmer Davis
c
: shoot
The gunman blasted him down.
3
: to attack vigorously
blasting their opponents in the media
4
: to cause to blast off
will blast themselves from the moon's surface
5
: to hit vigorously and effectively
blasted a home run
6
: to play loudly
blasting rock music on the stereo
ˌblast
: formative unit especially of living matter : germ : cell : cell layer
epiblast
Synonyms
Examples of blast in a Sentence
Noun
She opened the door and felt a cold blast.
He was hit by a blast of water from the hose.
The driver gave a long blast on his horn.
the blast of the factory whistle
The bomb blast killed eight people.
Verb
Workers were blasting rock where the new highway will go.
The rock has been blasted away.
The explosion blasted a hole in the side of the ship.
The mayor was blasted by the local press.
The judge blasted the lawyers for delaying the trial.
Human rights groups have blasted the government for its treatment of political prisoners.
He blasted his rival with a pistol.
A gunship blasted enemy headquarters.
They blasted the enemy plane out of the sky.
Recent Examples on the WebEsther Kang, Peoplemag, 8 May 2024
The blast traveled into the Brewers’ bullpen and flipped the game.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2024
Aphids are sometimes attracted, but they can be treated with a blast of water from a garden hose or a spray of neem oil.
—Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 May 2024
Kids will have a blast using the steering wheel’s working horn, a clicking ignition switch, and more interactive features.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 7 May 2024
He is fired and breaks up the scene’s shooting, and while leaving the set, he’s injured in a pyrotechnic blast meant to simulate an airstrike against the Vietnamese hamlet.
—James Poniewozik, New York Times, 6 May 2024
It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the Scream movies.
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 May 2024
Footage from nearby security cameras, released to Local 10, captured a fiery mushroom cloud when the blast detonated.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 2 May 2024
The owner of a Michigan business that exploded in March has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after a flying canister from the blast hit and killed a 19-year-old standing outside a quarter-mile away.
—Selina Guevara, NBC News, 26 Apr. 2024
Rob Marciano, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2024
Born in Rio suburbs, the MC Anitta came up playing public court parties with massive, 10-feet-high sound systems blasting heavy kicks and crispy snares all night long, real baile funk indeed.
—Felipe Maia, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2024
Music started blasting, and people started lining up to snatch theirs.
—Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2024
High winds continued to blast across Southern California on Friday, as a cold storm moved across the state, forecast to also bring some showers, thunderstorms and mountain snow — and the potential for power outages and hazardous air quality.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024
On the ice Thursday, the comeback began with Reinhart tying the game 9:58 into the second period, blasting a shot from the right circle on a feed from Vladimir Tarasenko.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2024
The gunmen used explosives to blast parts of the prison, authorities said.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024
Its top income tax rate and gasoline tax are routinely among the nation’s highest each year recently, and officials in low-tax Texas and Florida are constantly blasting California for its tax burden.
—David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
Thousands of fans lined up along Pennsylvania Avenue on Saturday for the thrill of watching a Formula 1 race winner blast down the iconic street in a championship-winning car.
—Sahil Kapur, NBC News, 21 Apr. 2024
Noun
Travis Kelce and Niecy Nash-Betts are having a blast on set of Ryan Murphy's new FX series, Grotesquerie!
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 8 May 2024
The blast traveled into the Brewers’ bullpen and flipped the game.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2024
Aphids are sometimes attracted, but they can be treated with a blast of water from a garden hose or a spray of neem oil.
—Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 May 2024
Kids will have a blast using the steering wheel’s working horn, a clicking ignition switch, and more interactive features.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 7 May 2024
He is fired and breaks up the scene’s shooting, and while leaving the set, he’s injured in a pyrotechnic blast meant to simulate an airstrike against the Vietnamese hamlet.
—James Poniewozik, New York Times, 6 May 2024
It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the Scream movies.
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 May 2024
Footage from nearby security cameras, released to Local 10, captured a fiery mushroom cloud when the blast detonated.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 2 May 2024
The owner of a Michigan business that exploded in March has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after a flying canister from the blast hit and killed a 19-year-old standing outside a quarter-mile away.
—Selina Guevara, NBC News, 26 Apr. 2024
Verb
The storm that blasted through Shreveport on June 16, 2023 was neither.
—Rob Marciano, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2024
Born in Rio suburbs, the MC Anitta came up playing public court parties with massive, 10-feet-high sound systems blasting heavy kicks and crispy snares all night long, real baile funk indeed.
—Felipe Maia, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2024
Music started blasting, and people started lining up to snatch theirs.
—Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2024
High winds continued to blast across Southern California on Friday, as a cold storm moved across the state, forecast to also bring some showers, thunderstorms and mountain snow — and the potential for power outages and hazardous air quality.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024
On the ice Thursday, the comeback began with Reinhart tying the game 9:58 into the second period, blasting a shot from the right circle on a feed from Vladimir Tarasenko.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2024
The gunmen used explosives to blast parts of the prison, authorities said.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024
Its top income tax rate and gasoline tax are routinely among the nation’s highest each year recently, and officials in low-tax Texas and Florida are constantly blasting California for its tax burden.
—David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
Thousands of fans lined up along Pennsylvania Avenue on Saturday for the thrill of watching a Formula 1 race winner blast down the iconic street in a championship-winning car.
—Sahil Kapur, NBC News, 21 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blast.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near blast
Cite this Entry
“Blast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blast. Accessed 13 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
blast
1 of 2 noun1
: a strong gust of wind
2
: a stream of air or gas forced through an opening
3
: the continuous blowing that ore or metal receives in a blast furnace
4
: the sound made by a wind instrument (as a horn) or by a whistle
5
b
: an explosive charge
c
: the sudden air pressure produced around an explosion
6
: a sudden harmful effect from or as if from a hot wind
7
: speed entry 1 sense 1b, operation
go full blast
8
: a very enjoyable event
blast
2 of 2 verb1
: blare
music blasting from a radio
2
a
: to use an explosive
b
: shoot
3
: to injure or destroy by or as if by the action of wind
seedlings blasted by the hot dry wind
4
: to shatter by or as if by an explosive
5
: to attack vigorously
blasted by the local press
6
: to cause to blast off
will blast themselves from the moon's surface
blaster
noun
Medical Definition
blast
1 of 2 noun1
: an explosion or violent detonation
2
: the violent effect produced in the vicinity of an explosion that consists of a wave of increased atmospheric pressure followed by a wave of decreased atmospheric pressure
blast
verb
blast
2 of 2 nounLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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