blast wave

American  

noun

1. a violent propagating disturbance, produced by an explosion in air, that consists of an abrupt rise in pressure followed by a drop in pressure to or below atmospheric pressure.

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Etymology

Origin of blast wave

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

blast wave

These may include material falling back toward the magnetar and collisions between the expanding blast wave and matter expelled by the star centuries before it exploded.

From Science Daily ● May 27, 2026

The blast wave nevertheless tossed all of his stock into a jumble of shower handles and hoses, boxes of masking tape and home repair tools — all covered in fine, metallic-gray dust.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2024

“I felt the blast wave on my cheeks, and it knocked off my hat.”

From New York Times ● Dec. 16, 2022

Walls and windows of a neighbouring 14-storey apartment block were damaged by the blast wave.

From Reuters ● Jul. 2, 2022

Striking the Earth’s atmosphere, a modest cometary fragment would produce a great radiant fireball and a mighty blast wave, which would burn trees, level forests and be heard around the world.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan