as in claps
a loud explosive sound
the soda can opened with a sharp pop
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in dads
a male human parent
ask your pop if he knows where the keys to the shed are
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in explodes
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
a balloon popped suddenly and startled us all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in shatters
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 shoots
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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of pops
Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026
The common spaces, meanwhile, draw on a more tropical color palette, with pops of blue, green, pink, and gold.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 8 Jan. 2026
Citrus Wreaths Create cheerful wreaths that lean on in-season oranges and lemons for pops of color.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026
Her nails were painted a bright orange, and her makeup featured vibrant pops of pink and orange.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
With the majority of New Balance’s 1906L loafer releases thus far using neutral looks with limited pops of color, an upcoming release looks to liven up the model with a mix of shades.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 6 Jan. 2026
In other words, if the AI bubble pops, California could see a steep drop in tax revenue.
—Levi Sumagaysay, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
Virgil van Dijk and Wayne Rooney have been taking pops at each other.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
The team of Kpetikou and Kone won with their red velvet eyeball cake pops.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
The same story pops up over and over again when automation occurs.
—Jeff Mayhugh, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Up pops a site that looks official.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2026
On Thursday evenings, the SLO farmers market pops up along Higuera Street, and perusing the 100-plus stalls here is a great way to experience the wealth of this agricultural region and feel like a local.
—Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
The interior is made with recycled materials that resist moisture and can be spot cleaned if a spill or scuff pops up.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2025
Christmas Day streams three and the extended 2-hour+ finale pops New Year’s Eve.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
Unlike, say, pal Bella Hadid, who pops up at a rodeo wearing a genuine cowboy hat now and then, KenJen seems to be a city girl.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 15 Dec. 2025
Pull the linguistic thread a little further, and the word pops up as a mark of frustration.
—L. Carol Ritchie, NPR, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
Here, a sliver of orangey-red pops against a cool-toned ruby hue.
—Verb
Usually, when a musician pops up on Jeopardy!
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for pops
Verb
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Mike, Hopper, and everyone else who loves her can only stand there and watch as the bomb goes off and the exotic matter explodes.—
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But if the geological plumbing is clogged, perhaps by silica minerals or rock debris, the pressure can build until the water explodes, vaporizing into steam and shooting boiling water, mud, rocks, and other debris into the air.—
Verb
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Williams appeared in three games for the Tigers last season as a true freshman, retaining his redshirt while playing 21 special teams snaps.—
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Special teams ace Zayne Anderson, who played the fifth-highest percentage of special teams snaps for the Packers this season, suffered the same fate because of a Week 17 ankle injury.—
Verb
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Continue reading … RISE UP – Catholic conference shatters attendance records as 26,000 young people flock to faith event.—
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The drop shatters a plate from Andrew's mother's irreplaceable collection of heirloom china and prompts Andrew to fire Enzo.—
Verb
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The expansion Raptors shoots 0-for-3 from the foul line.—
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The officer shoots a second time.—
Verb
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Brother Dusk detonates explosives that shatter the cryonic chamber of Cleon clones, bodies raining down in blood and glass, before plucking a single embryo from the wreckage to bait Demerzel’s deepest programming.—
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Determined to finish the job, Dante detonates explosives on the dam itself.—
Verb
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Ben smashes chests and heads in, tears jaws out, rips faces off, and director Johannes Roberts makes sure to include brief close-ups of the carnage, lit just dimly enough to avoid truly grossing us out.—
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When Ben smashes a television set, perhaps Roberts is even making some sort of societal point.—
Verb
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Every college and pro coach drills the same message into their players’ heads, nothing good happens after midnight.—
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The state also limited preseason contact drills to six hours total and banned spring and summer practices.—
Verb
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On a recent morning in midtown Manhattan, Spike Lee blows on an imaginary pair of dice before hurling them to the ground.—
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Brunson fakes the swing to the right corner, blows past VJ Edgecombe, gets both feet into the paint, draws two defenders and finds OG Anunoby in the left corner.—
Cite this Entry
“Pops.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pops. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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