blast

1 of 4

noun

ˈblast 

1

a

: a violent gust of wind

a cold blast of air

b

: the effect or accompaniment (such as sleet) of such a gust

a blast of freezing rain

2

: the sound produced by an impulsion of air through a wind instrument or whistle

the blast of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah

the trumpet's blast

3

: something resembling a gust of wind: such as

a

: a stream of air or gas forced through a hole

b

: a vehement expression of feeling

… let out a great blast of mirth …

—Marcia Davenport

a blast of anger

c

: the continuous blowing to which a charge of ore or metal is subjected in a blast furnace

4

a

: a sudden pernicious influence or effect

got a blast of reality when she left home

a blast of criticism

… virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast …

—Shakespeare

b

botany : a disease of plants marked by the formation of destructive lesions on leaves and inflorescences

5

a

: an explosion or violent detonation

The blast killed eight people.

a shotgun blast

b

: the shock wave of an explosion

felt the blast from several miles away

c

sports : a forceful hit (as in baseball) or shot (as in soccer or golf)

especially : home run

6

: speed, capacity, operation

turned the water on full blast

go full blast

7

: an enjoyably exciting experience, occasion, or event

I had a blast.

Their wedding was a blast.

especially : party

8

: the sending of a message (such as a fax or an email) in multiple copies to numerous recipients at one time

The campaign then sends Jane targeted messages via canvassers, phone calls, ads, and its increasingly sophisticated email blasts.

—Tim Murphy

—often used before another noun

a blast fax

blast

2 of 4

verb

blasted; blasting; blasts

intransitive verb

1

: blare

music blasting from the radio

2

: to make a vigorous attack

blasting away at her opponent

3

a

: to use an explosive

blast through the wall

b

: shoot

They walked in and started blasting.

4

: to hit a golf ball out of a sand trap with explosive force

5

: to proceed rapidly or aggressively

blasting down the ski slope

transitive verb

1

a

: to injure by or as if by the action of wind

young crops being blasted by the hot dry wind

b

: blight

The entire crop was blasted by fungus.

The injury blasted her dreams of winning a gold medal.

2

a

: to shatter by or as if by an explosive

blasting out nearly all of the building's windows

b

: to remove, open, or form by or as if by an explosive

blast a hole through the wall

… blast away these barriers to progress …

—Elmer Davis

c

: shoot

The gunman blasted him down.

3

: to attack vigorously

blasting their opponents in the media

4

: to cause to blast off

will blast themselves from the moon's surface

5

: to hit vigorously and effectively

blasted a home run

6

: to play loudly

blasting rock music on the stereo

blast-

3 of 4

combining form

variants or blasto-

: bud : budding : germ

blastodisc

-blast

4 of 4

noun combining form

ˌblast

: formative unit especially of living matter : germ : cell : cell layer

epiblast

Phrases

blast from the past

: a striking reminder of an earlier time : something that excites nostalgia

This picture is a real blast from the past.

Synonyms

Noun

• bang
• boom
• clap
• crack
• crash
• pop
• report
• slam
• smash
• snap
• thunderclap
• thwack
• whack
• whomp
• whump

Verb

• blow
• blow up
• burst
• demolish
• explode
• pop
• shatter
• smash

Examples of blast in a Sentence

Noun

She opened the door and felt a cold blast.

He was hit by a blast of water from the hose.

The driver gave a long blast on his horn.

the blast of the factory whistle

The bomb blast killed eight people.

Verb

Workers were blasting rock where the new highway will go.

The rock has been blasted away.

The explosion blasted a hole in the side of the ship.

The mayor was blasted by the local press.

The judge blasted the lawyers for delaying the trial.

Human rights groups have blasted the government for its treatment of political prisoners.

He blasted his rival with a pistol.

A gunship blasted enemy headquarters.

They blasted the enemy plane out of the sky.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In 1952: The United States tested the first hydrogen bomb on the Eniwetok atoll in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in a blast equivalent to 10.4 megatons of TNT, hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. —Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 2 Nov. 2024

The state civil protection office said in a social media post that the blast was likely caused after smelting apparatus collapsed. —Reuters, NBC News, 30 Oct. 2024

Verb

Twisted Sister blasts from speakers on the street and the tourists bob their heads along. —Dan Sheehan, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024

Showers and thunderstorms were affecting most parishes in Jamaica while strong, gusty winds were blasting parts of the southern parishes, the country’s meteorological service said in its 8 p.m. ET update. —Mary Gilbert, CNN, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English blǣst; akin to Old High German blāst blast, blāsan to blow, Old English blāwan — more at blow

Verb

Middle English blasten, derivative of blast blast entry 1

Combining form

combining form from Greek blastós "shoot, bud, embryo, germ" — more at -blast

Noun combining form

combining form from Greek blastós "shoot, bud, embryo, germ," noun derivative from the base of blastánein "to bud, sprout, grow," of obscure origin

Note: The supposed base *melōdh- "protuberance, head" in Julius Pokorny, Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (citing, in addition to blastós, Sanskrit mūrdhan- "head," Greek blōthrós "tall," Old English molda "top of the head") is improbable as an Indo-European root; a substratal origin is possible, but the semantic links are weak.

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing blast

• blast furnace
• blast off
• counter-blast
• full blast

Kids Definition

blast

1 of 2 noun

ˈblast 

1

: a strong gust of wind

2

: a stream of air or gas forced through an opening

3

: the continuous blowing that ore or metal receives in a blast furnace

4

: the sound made by a wind instrument (as a horn) or by a whistle

5

a

: explosion sense 1

b

: an explosive charge

c

: the sudden air pressure produced around an explosion

6

: a sudden harmful effect from or as if from a hot wind

7

: speed entry 1 sense 1b, operation

go full blast

8

: a very enjoyable event

blast

2 of 2 verb

1

: blare

music blasting from a radio

2

a

: to use an explosive

b

: shoot

3

: to injure or destroy by or as if by the action of wind

seedlings blasted by the hot dry wind

4

: to shatter by or as if by an explosive

5

: to attack vigorously

blasted by the local press

6

: to cause to blast off

will blast themselves from the moon's surface

blaster noun

Medical Definition

blast

1 of 2 noun

ˈblast 

1

: an explosion or violent detonation

2

: the violent effect produced in the vicinity of an explosion that consists of a wave of increased atmospheric pressure followed by a wave of decreased atmospheric pressure

blast verb

blast

2 of 2 noun

: blast cell