1
as in exploded
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
a balloon popped suddenly and startled us all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in shattered
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
popping popcorn over a campfire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in drilled
to strike with a missile from a gun
went into the woods hoping to pop the rabbit that was eating our vegetables
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of popped
The gang wars, along with the self-defense groups that have popped up in response, have turned the region into a hotbed of terror for rural farmers.
—
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Protests popped up in all 50 states and even appeared overseas as far as Italy, France, Germany and Spain.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Reed popped up from behind the whiteboard and immediately dumped a bottle of water on his head coach, with other players joining in the fun to soak Hurley.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
The theory popped up on social media during the 2025 season, though the 49ers have played at Levi’s Stadium since 2014 and used the practice facility that is also near the substation since 1989.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026
With the base loaded and one out, Los Alamitos popped up a bunt that third baseman Kimmie McDonnell snagged and alertly tossed to shortstop Mazzotti covering third base for an inning-ending double play.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026
Similar accusations popped up across the country, leaving school superintendents, including the one in Michigan, to debunk them.
—Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
In a scramble in front, Swayman made the initial stop but the puck popped in the air and Hartman batted it home.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Derby shoes then popped up at Celine, where Michael Rider’s French take on American prep quickly emerged as a new trend.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2026
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Protests popped up in all 50 states and even appeared overseas as far as Italy, France, Germany and Spain.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Reed popped up from behind the whiteboard and immediately dumped a bottle of water on his head coach, with other players joining in the fun to soak Hurley.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
The theory popped up on social media during the 2025 season, though the 49ers have played at Levi’s Stadium since 2014 and used the practice facility that is also near the substation since 1989.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026
With the base loaded and one out, Los Alamitos popped up a bunt that third baseman Kimmie McDonnell snagged and alertly tossed to shortstop Mazzotti covering third base for an inning-ending double play.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026
Similar accusations popped up across the country, leaving school superintendents, including the one in Michigan, to debunk them.
—Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
In a scramble in front, Swayman made the initial stop but the puck popped in the air and Hartman batted it home.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Derby shoes then popped up at Celine, where Michael Rider’s French take on American prep quickly emerged as a new trend.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for popped
Verb
-
An asteroid the size of a house exploded over the city of Chelyabinsk with the force of 440,000 tons of TNT, damaging buildings and injuring more than 1,600 people, according to NASA.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Usually, the fire department starts the program in late April or May, but because of all the weather whiplash the area has seen over the past few months, vegetation has exploded and left many yards and properties with fire hazards.—
Carmela Karcher,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Yankees (7-2) and denied them a three-game sweep of Miami (6-3).—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The two-run shot snapped a 5-all tie and sparked a four-run inning.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the events of late 1957 shattered that perception and focused the attention of American politicians and military officials more sharply on the final frontier.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
4 Apr. 2026
-
And not just broken, but shattered.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the summer of 1969, less than six months after the spill, several additional wells were drilled from Platform A.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Suárez found space in the box and drilled a volley in the 82nd minute to level the match at 2-2.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sources said the device was dangerous, but not sophisticated enough to be detonated remotely.—
Naveen Dhaliwal,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The bomb squad moved it to a desert area, where it was detonated, according to police.—
Alex Stone,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
From her office at Aish, a Jewish educational institute with headquarters next to the Western Wall plaza, Geller can see where shrapnel dented and smashed rooftops, roads and a parking lot in the area.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Andrews said some people also smashed concrete barriers into smaller pieces and threw them at authorities.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This thing isn’t even plugged into anything.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Muñoz also plugged the company’s plans to build a new army of humanoid Atlas robots to help supplement human labor in its Georgia assembly facility.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Predators blew a 3-0 lead before O'Reilly converted off a pass from Luke Evangelista to give them their 15th straight win over the Sharks for their longest winning streak ever against one opponent.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Fish, after 8-2 Friday loss, blew a 4-0 lead Saturday and fell to the Stripes 9-7.—
Greg Cote
April 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Popped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/popped. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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