blockbuster

American  

[blok-buhs-ter] / ˈblɒkˌbʌs tər /

noun

• blockbusters
  plural

1. an aerial bomb containing high explosives and weighing from four to eight tons, used as a large-scale demolition bomb.

2. a motion picture, novel, etc., especially one lavishly produced, that has or is expected to have wide popular appeal or financial success.

3. something or someone that is forcefully or overwhelmingly impressive, effective, or influential.

   The campaign was a blockbuster.

4. a real-estate speculator who practices blockbusting.

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blockbuster British  

/ ˈblɒkˌbʌstə /

noun

1. a large bomb used to demolish extensive areas or strengthened targets

2. a very successful, effective, or forceful person, thing, etc

3. a lavish film, show, novel, etc, that proves to be an outstanding popular success

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• blockbusters
  plural

Etymology

Origin of blockbuster

First recorded in 1940–45; block + buster

Explanation

A blockbuster is a Hollywood movie that's made with a large budget and big stars. A true blockbuster is extremely popular and brings in a lot of money. Typically, a blockbuster is a fabulous summer movie that audiences line up to see the first weekend it's released. You can also call a successful play or a new, popular video game a blockbuster. Less, often, a huge bomb is a blockbuster — this is the word's original, 1940s meaning, from the fact that such a bomb could destroy an entire city block. The entertainment meaning, from the 1950s, began as theater slang.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

blockbuster blockbusters

The ChatGPT-maker, along with rival Anthropic, have been eyeing blockbuster stock market debuts that would value the firms at more than $1tn each.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

The Stallone story is more sharply told and, given that it culminates in the production of a single blockbuster, more concise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

But in short order, Cohn’s New York Magazine article was adapted into “Saturday Night Fever,” a blockbuster film and one of the bestselling albums of all time.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026

So, since that “Odyssey” contract was trading at 50 cents on Kalshi as of Monday afternoon, that means the market believes Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster has a 50% chance of winning.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

And I can always find something to mock in a blockbuster.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

The performance marks Cruise’s return to art-house cinema after almost two decades largely focused on action blockbusters including “Top Gun: Maverick” and the “Mission: Impossible” franchise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Film fans have had plenty of chances to spot Glasgow on the big screen in recent years, from superhero blockbusters to futuristic sci-fi thrillers.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

The film industry rode blockbusters like Spider Man and The Odyssey to a record for domestic ticket sales, Rentrak preliminary data show.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

Cancer immunotherapies like Keytruda and rival drug Opdivo are some of the other major blockbusters set to lose patent protection this decade.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

Ever since the 1930s, Pinewood had been home to movies ranging from early Alfred Hitchcock mysteries to massive Star Wars blockbusters.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti