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
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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
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Recent Examples of popped
Turcotte found the puck and popped in his third goal of the season.
—
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
And in November, Puma shares popped up again, this time on rumblings that China’s sportswear firm Anta Sports could be eyeing the German athletic brand.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 8 Jan. 2026
Photos announcing the policy first popped up in an Orlando store in April 2024.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026
The year before that, massive floating clown heads popped up in Downtown Crossing alleys, giving people a reason to look up from their phones.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
An image of the rolling sea of golden grain out the window of the carriage popped into her mind.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
The 2023 actors and writers strikes, the 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires and an overall contraction in studio spending as the streaming bubble popped all worsened the problem.
—Rebecca Keegan, NBC news, 7 Jan. 2026
His recipe for beef bourguignon, which popped up on my screen a few days ago, is a great example.
—Gretchen McKay, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
Murals depicting him mid-throw popped up in the city virtually overnight.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for popped
Verb
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The Green Wave exploded on offense to take a 35-17 lead over the Tigers at halftime.—
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The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has unveiled its second Focus program for the 55th edition, turning the spotlight on Japan’s V-Cinema — the direct-to-video movement that exploded in the late 1980s and profoundly shaped the country’s contemporary film culture.—
Verb
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Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high seven assists, Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and the New York Knicks snapped their four-game losing streak with a 123-111 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.—
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Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high seven assists, Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and the New York Knicks snapped their four-game losing streak with a 123-111 victory over the Clippers on Wednesday night.—
Verb
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By the afternoon, the store had reopened, but the front door's glass remained shattered, with a large banner placed in front of the entrance, the local station reported.—
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The Kohbergers’ pride in Bryan was shattered by the revelation that he was suspected of and later admitted to the slaughter.—
Verb
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While heavy crude oil is what is predominantly being drilled for today, its viscous consistency and high levels of metals and sulfur mean extracting and refining this product is significantly more costly than its light crude counterpart.—
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Capping two solid seasons for the Huskies, Freeman drilled a 49-yard field goal off the frozen, slick turf in frigid weather, worth noting for NFL teams in the Northeast and Upper Midwest.—
Verb
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The move detonated a war within the cartel that has left thousands dead or disappeared.—
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Once a year, in October, visitors can attend an open house at the Trinity Site—where the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945.—
Verb
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The engine compartment caught fire, so the agent smashed a window to help free her.—
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Windows smashed, citizens detained, citizens shot.—
Verb
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Instead, the shotgun approach keeps SNL plugged into the political conversation in a way that suits a politician with zero chill or focus.—
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Up front, senior Kahlil Williams and junior Rico Henderson plugged up the middle of the line, while junior Ben Rink and sophomore Lucas Lawson brought athleticism to the defensive end positions that Skyline couldn’t match.—
Verb
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Princely Umanmielen sat at his locker in complete silence, still in his full uniform, roughly 30 minutes after the final whistle blew on Saturday.—
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Green Bay blew a 21-6 lead in the fourth quarter of a wild 31-27 loss to the Chicago Bears in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Saturday night.—
Cite this Entry
“Popped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/popped. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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