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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of popping
Get ready to see more video content popping up in search results.
—
William Arruda, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
South Florida healthcare expands into neighborhoods While Doral has seen an explosion of healthcare growth, medical centers, outpatient, urgent care and standalone emergency rooms are also popping up across South Florida as hospitals compete for patients.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2025
Chris ended up popping the question while the two were on vacation in Hawaii.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
In the last couple of years, the movie has been popping up in tech and business circles as a model of positivity.
—Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
Today, Monaco sells itself as one of the most ostentatiously dazzling of Mediterranean destinations, a retreat where, arriving via yacht or helicopter, those with deep enough pockets can strut the boardwalks of the marina to a soundtrack of popping champagne corks.
—Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 21 Mar. 2025
The film’s eye-popping costumes were designed by Jean Paul Gaultier.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2025
In China, where coffee culture was once on the rise, tea is now making a strong comeback, with modern tea houses popping up in major cities.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Eclipse season is upon us, retrogrades are popping off left and right, and Neptune is leaving Pisces for Aries for the first time in over 150 years.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, refinery29.com, 27 Feb. 2025
William Arruda, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
South Florida healthcare expands into neighborhoods While Doral has seen an explosion of healthcare growth, medical centers, outpatient, urgent care and standalone emergency rooms are also popping up across South Florida as hospitals compete for patients.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2025
Chris ended up popping the question while the two were on vacation in Hawaii.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
In the last couple of years, the movie has been popping up in tech and business circles as a model of positivity.
—Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
Today, Monaco sells itself as one of the most ostentatiously dazzling of Mediterranean destinations, a retreat where, arriving via yacht or helicopter, those with deep enough pockets can strut the boardwalks of the marina to a soundtrack of popping champagne corks.
—Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 21 Mar. 2025
The film’s eye-popping costumes were designed by Jean Paul Gaultier.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2025
In China, where coffee culture was once on the rise, tea is now making a strong comeback, with modern tea houses popping up in major cities.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Eclipse season is upon us, retrogrades are popping off left and right, and Neptune is leaving Pisces for Aries for the first time in over 150 years.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, refinery29.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for popping
Verb
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Hezbollah's capabilities were badly damaged in the fighting - not least by a covert attack on Hezbollah operatives with exploding pagers, which resulted in over 30 deaths and thousands of injuries, including some civilians.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
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Exactly because production is exploding globally, so are efforts by a myriad of entities to facilitate all this exchange.—
John Tamny,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Mangione, 26, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan on December 4.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
24 Dec. 2024
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This outburst ejects powerful jets, seen as filaments shooting out from the binary system, forming loops and trails as the plasma emerges in streamers.—
Alan Taylor,
The Atlantic,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Since March 14, severe weather has left a trail of destruction, toppling trees, demolishing homes, and igniting wildfires, the Associated Press reported.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
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By 2006, Alcatel-Lucent, the building’s owner at the time, was considering demolishing the property.—
Celia Fernandez,Raffi Paul,
CNBC,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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At one point Harry Maguire tried to inject urgency, bursting forward with the ball and urging Alejandro Garnacho and Diogo Dalot to run ahead.—
Laurie Whitwell,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
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An intellectually dense film bursting with ideas, some of them contradictory, some troubling, all of them provocative.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
31 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Popping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/popping. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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