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.
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a forcible stream of air from the mouth, bellows, or the like.
-
Machinery.
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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:
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was evacuated after a loud blast was heard on Saturday, two international news agencies have reported.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Rocket exhaust can blast dust and loose material away from the ground, potentially affecting nearby equipment and structures.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
A joint Seoul-United Nations Command investigation concluded the blast was caused by North Korean mines laid on the South Korean side of the border.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Its sunken gardens and swimming pool promised comfort, while a blast door, escape hatches and air filtration protected against nuclear fallout.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
They all shouted as a great blast of wind knocked them on their backs.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
In Saudi Arabia, the latest blasts came a day after the Houthis claimed attacks on two international airports, while repeating a warning to airlines to avoid Saudi airspace.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
South Korea said on Tuesday that the blasts, which happened on South Korea's side of the DMZ, were "highly likely" from North Korean mines.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
The president is a pop-culture fanatic; he blasts Broadway showtunes at his rallies and was tweetstorming about Kristen Stewart a few years before becoming the leader of the free world.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
That amount of energy is comparable to the output of several billion supernova explosions, the powerful blasts produced when certain stars reach the ends of their lives.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
He clicks some stuff on one of the computers and a bass heavy up-tempo beat blasts through the speakers.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
Water from a massive swell — double the size that was initially predicted — blasted through 20-foot berms erected at the Wedge and washed out roads from about 21st Street to 6th Street, officials said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
The prospector with his pan and pickax gave way to powerful water cannons that blasted away gold-bearing hillsides, leaving behind incoherent geological arabesques that will likely outlast the pyramids.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Because the volcano erupted beneath the ocean, it blasted enormous quantities of salty seawater upward along with volcanic ash.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
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
Those steam explosions had blasted through hundreds of feet of rock and ice.
From "I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980" by Lauren Tarshis
At its simplest, that works by blasting signals to drown out, confuse or supplant an adversary’s communications.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Maybe I’m imagining things, but considering that the performances of both teams were equally awful, everyone is really blasting the Chargers while making lots of excuses for the Rams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
"At first it was the blasting and the tremors from underground, and we would feel our flat shake," 45-year-old Voneen Trompeter told AFP in Roodepoort, northwest of central Johannesburg.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
Once rescuers knew where the power stations were, Dix said they could then decide the best way to access them, which typically involves digging and "blasting boulders".
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
“It’s Saturday,” I said with a grin as I lay spread out on the sofa, coloring book in my lap, blasting music.
From "Monday's Not Coming" by Tiffany D. Jackson
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.
