blast
noun
a sudden and violent gust of wind.
blast
1 American
[blast]
/ blæst /
noun
-
blasts
plural
-
a sudden and violent gust of wind.
Wintry blasts chilled us to the marrow.
-
the blowing of a trumpet, whistle, etc..
One blast of the siren was enough to clear the street.
-
a loud, sudden sound or noise.
The radio let out an awful blast before I could turn it off.
-
a forcible stream of air from the mouth, bellows, or the like.
-
Machinery.
-
air forced into a furnace by a blower to increase the rate of combustion.
-
a jet of steam directed up a smokestack, as of a steam locomotive, to increase draft.
-
a draft thus increased.
-
-
a forceful or explosive throw, hit, etc..
a blast down the third-base line.
-
Slang.
-
a vigorous outburst of criticism; attack.
-
an electronic message sent simultaneously to a large number of people: e-blast advertising;
an email blast;
e-blast advertising;
an SMS text blast.
-
Mining, Civil Engineering. the charge of dynamite or other explosive used at one firing in blasting operations.
-
the act of exploding; explosion.
Some say the blast was in the next county.
- Synonyms:
- outburst, detonation
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any pernicious or destructive influence, especially on animals or plants; a blight.
-
the sudden death of buds, flowers, or young fruit.
verb (used with object)
-
blasts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
blasted,
past participle, past
-
blasting
present participle
-
to play loudly or make a loud noise on.
to blast rock music;
to blast a horn.
-
to cause to shrivel or wither; blight.
-
to affect with any harmful influence; ruin; wreck.
Failure in the exam blasted her hopes for college.
It was an indiscretion that blasted his good reputation.
- Synonyms:
- demolish
-
to shatter, break up, or dislodge by or as if by an explosion.
Their explosives were inadequate to blast the granite.
-
to make, form, open up, etc., by blasting.
to blast a tunnel through a mountain.
-
to show to be false, unreliable, etc.; discredit.
His facts soundly blasted the new evidence.
-
Informal. to curse; damn (usually followed by it or an object).
Blast it, there's the phone again!
Blast the time, we've got to finish this work.
-
to censure or criticize vigorously; denounce.
In his campaign speech he really blasts the other party.
-
to hit or propel with great force: They were blasted into outer space.
He blasted a homer that tied the game.
They were blasted into outer space.
-
to shoot.
The terrorists blasted him down.
verb (used without object)
-
blasts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
blasted,
past participle, past
-
blasting
present participle
-
to produce a loud, blaring sound: His voice blasted until the microphone was turned down.
The trumpets blasted as the overture began.
His voice blasted until the microphone was turned down.
-
to shoot.
He whipped out his revolver and started blasting.
-
Slang. to take narcotics.
verb phrase
idioms
-blast
2
American
blast
1
British
/ blɑːst /
noun
-
an explosion, as of dynamite
-
-
the rapid movement of air away from the centre of an explosion, combustion of rocket fuel, etc
-
a wave of overpressure caused by an explosion; shock wave
-
-
the charge of explosive used in a single explosion
-
a sudden strong gust of wind or air
-
a sudden loud sound, as of a trumpet
-
a violent verbal outburst, as of criticism
-
a forcible jet or stream of air, esp one used to intensify the heating effect of a furnace, increase the draught in a steam engine, or break up coal at a coalface
-
any of several diseases of plants and animals, esp one producing withering in plants
-
slang a very enjoyable or thrilling experience
the party was a blast
-
at maximum speed, volume, etc
interjection
verb
-
to destroy or blow up with explosives, shells, etc
-
to make or cause to make a loud harsh noise
-
(tr) to remove, open, etc, by an explosion
to blast a hole in a wall
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(tr) to ruin; shatter
the rain blasted our plans for a picnic
-
to wither or cause to wither; blight or be blighted
-
to criticize severely
-
to shoot or shoot at
he blasted the hat off her head
he blasted away at the trees
-blast
2
British
combining form
blast
More Idioms
Usage
What does blast mean? A blast is a loud, sudden noise, as in The blast of the fire alarm woke Kehinde out of a deep sleep. Blasts are typically associated with the sound and force behind them, and often this force will be caused by a gust of wind or heat that is emanating from some type of explosion or machine. To blast is to make a loud, sudden noise, as when you blow into a trumpet. To blast is also to destroy or break up, as in The engineers blasted the rock in the side of the mountain to create a tunnel. Figuratively, a blast is a strong verbal attack or criticism. To blast someone is to criticize them in this way, as in Jada’s parents blasted her for staying out all night, and now she’s grounded for a month. A blast is also a really fun party or thrill, as in Luis was surprised at what a blast he had at rock climbing. Example: I heard a loud blast from the neighboring field and went over to see what happened.
Synonym Usage
See wind 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
blastsimple
-
blastssimple
-
have blastedperfect
-
has blastedperfect
-
am blastingprogressive
-
are blastingprogressive
-
is blastingprogressive
-
have been blastingperfect progressive
-
has been blastingperfect progressive
Past
-
blastedsimple
-
had blastedperfect
-
was blastingprogressive
-
were blastingprogressive
-
had been blastingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of blast1
First recorded before 1000; 1955–60 blast for def. 7a; Middle English (noun and verb); Old English blǣst (noun) “a blowing”; akin to Old Norse blāstr, Old High German blāst; see blow 2
Origin of -blast2
< Greek, combining form of blastós a bud, sprout
Explanation
A blast is an explosion, or a sudden sharp noise. When you blast someone, you either shoot them, or hit them with a verbal explosion––a tirade of criticism. Your teacher might blast your class for being rowdy; she’ll go on and on about how you are acting like first graders. On the Fourth of July, you might hear a different kind of blast — first your neighbors' bottle rockets, then the explosion of fireworks sponsored by your town. It's very exciting to watch a rocket launch into space––little kids love to play at the game, chanting, "5...4...3...2...1...blast off!
Vocabulary lists containing blast
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Now O’Donnell is back behind a network television desk and, by all appearances, is having a blast.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
I sent the editor a six-text blast explaining myself, as if I were getting ready for my own criminal trial.
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026
On Monday, his three-run blast put the Dodgers up 5-0 in the third.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
It was traveling along the line of sight at more than 6,000 kilometers per second, indicating that a densely bound structure may have survived the initial blast and was now moving rapidly toward us.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
Once more she was drowned out by the whistle’s blast.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
"Think of it as a shower head that blasts the sauce in 1.5 seconds," says Sharma.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Since the pandemic, the organization has sent out email and text blasts to the community offering boxes of food — only 150 boxes are available each week.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
He’d seen the TV commercials for the new sets, powered by “smart bricks” that light up when laser blasts are fired and emit a chorus of zooming spacecraft engine sounds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
Iran's Mehr news agency reported fresh blasts of unknown origin in the south around midday on Monday, adding that they "appear to be coming from the West Coast of Bandar Abbas".
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
There was so little known about lateral blasts that the damage was far worse than anyone had anticipated.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
While S301 became trapped in the black hole's gravity, its partner star was blasted out with such force it likely left the galaxy entirely.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
The collision blasted this weathered material from as deep as 1.5 feet beneath the lunar surface.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
The intro gets blasted at sporting events to raise energy or when something good happens, and it never fails to rally a crowd.
From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2026
The rocket blasted off from Florida in January last year, carrying two lunar landers into space.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
A weird YouTube song called “Objects in Motion” blasted on the speaker.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
The keening chorus is anchored by Roger Troutman, who enjoyed a series of 1980s hits with sprays of talk-box-warped vocals, while the blasting beat was produced by Dr. Dre, the chief architect of G-funk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Too many times, she said, residents of a nearby homeless encampment have partied late into the night — sometimes yelling, sometimes blasting music.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
Whiles is among a group of residents calling for a pause on blasting at Craig yr Hesg and other quarries until the HSE has concluded its investigation at the Taff's Well site.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Rucci sued the district, blasting the utility’s board members for calling him a “predatory developer.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
But the change that now came into my life, into all our lives, blasting its way into our village, seemed wrought in the twinkling of an eye.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
