blast wave

American

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of blast wave

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A blast wave is said to have damaged a plastered cornice on the eastern façade but not affected the interior.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2025

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

This marks where the supernova blast wave is ramming into surrounding circumstellar material.

From Science Daily • Dec. 12, 2023

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023