1
as in exploding
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
a balloon popped suddenly and startled us all
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in snapping
to break suddenly with an explosive sound
the last strand popped, causing the chandelier to drop to the floor with a great crash
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in shattering
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 shooting
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
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Recent Examples of popping
Demolition derbies bring the sounds of revving engines and metal crashing into metal to rural arenas all over Arkansas, especially during this time of year when county fairs are popping up.
—
Sean Clancy, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
Travel and socializing with friends, neighbors, and siblings could also be popping up for you quite soon.
—Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
The couple have been making the rounds during NYFW, sitting front row at Off-White earlier in the day, and Carthen popping up at Theophilio the night prior.
—Anika Reed, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Zach Bryan was a surprise guest at this weekend’s Born & Raised Festival in Pryor, Oklahoma, popping up on Saturday to sing with Gabriella Rose during her afternoon set.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
So what’s on your vision board for popping the question?
—Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
And even before the actors arrive on the stage, we’ve been treated to an eye-popping visual display.
—David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Sep. 2025
Goldman Sachs has calculated that a bubble popping could wipe out up to 20% of the S&P 500’s valuation.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
Thomas dove in and swam with Malibu, popping up simultaneously from the water and resting their extremities — his arms, her fins — on the edge of the pool.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
Sean Clancy, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
Travel and socializing with friends, neighbors, and siblings could also be popping up for you quite soon.
—Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
The couple have been making the rounds during NYFW, sitting front row at Off-White earlier in the day, and Carthen popping up at Theophilio the night prior.
—Anika Reed, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Zach Bryan was a surprise guest at this weekend’s Born & Raised Festival in Pryor, Oklahoma, popping up on Saturday to sing with Gabriella Rose during her afternoon set.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
So what’s on your vision board for popping the question?
—Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
And even before the actors arrive on the stage, we’ve been treated to an eye-popping visual display.
—David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Sep. 2025
Goldman Sachs has calculated that a bubble popping could wipe out up to 20% of the S&P 500’s valuation.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
Thomas dove in and swam with Malibu, popping up simultaneously from the water and resting their extremities — his arms, her fins — on the edge of the pool.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for popping
Verb
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The unknown object collides with another moving object arriving from the opposite direction, exploding in a bright flash of light.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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Elsewhere online, wellness culture was exploding.—
Clare Malone,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lines of hundreds of guests snaked around the inside of the department store (which takes up an entire city block in Manhattan), with onlookers snapping photos quizzically.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Back at home, Hauser’s father took a picture off the TV screen with his son snapping away on the sideline.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The group also recently stepped out together at a University of Cincinnati football game, which just so happened to be Swift and Kelce’s first public outing since announcing their plans to get married with an internet-shattering post on Instagram in August.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Pamela Warner, mother and manager of the late actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, reflected on the life-shattering moment her son had untimely passed away.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Miami needs to find a way to stop shooting themselves in the foot in fourth quarter situations, and that is exactly what occurred against the Buffalo Bills.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The suspects followed the trio in as many as four vehicles, then started shooting.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Russia will test a new laser system designed to take out mines without detonating the explosive devices, state media reported on Thursday.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Aug. 2025
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Livingston is angry at Shagan for detonating the bomb without his order, but nevertheless takes advantage of the confusion over Abigail's fate to remove her from power.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In another scene, wrestlers sit at a bar, celebrating Miguel’s birthday, cracking jokes, with the comfortable familiarity of people who feel accepted as part of their world.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
20 Sep. 2025
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Jubair and other unnamed conspirators allegedly contacted company help desks and convinced representatives to reset other users’ passwords multiple times in addition to allegedly running password cracking software.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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From the Luddites smashing looms in 19th-century England to autoworkers walking out over the introduction of robots to the factory floor in the 1980s, resistance has flared before either being crushed or subsiding, giving way to the new economies and social orders the technologies ushered in.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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The 40th anniversary of John Farnham’s record-smashing 1986 album Whispering Jack will be celebrated with a new musical.—
Lars Brandle,
Billboard,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Trump has long berated Britain over its plans to stop drilling new domestic oil and gas, which could help power future AI data centers.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
18 Sep. 2025
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The demo, held at a granite quarry in Marble Falls, Texas, showed the company’s ability to vaporize rock using high-frequency electromagnetic waves, drilling 387 feet (118 meters) into solid granite without any physical contact.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Popping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/popping. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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