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

Another idea suggests the brightness spikes occur when the blast wave from the explosion slams into dense shells of gas surrounding the star.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026

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

From Reuters • Jul. 2, 2022

Before Los Angeles police sent a blast wave through it, Paula Benítez de Rodríguez’s life revolved around the squat, bubble-gum pink building she owns in South Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2022

A panel of blast wave experts also believed Mr Atkinson could have survived with timely medical intervention and the applying of effective tourniquets on both legs.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2021

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