# blast

/ˈbɫæst/ (US) · /blˈɑːst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/blast
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. an explosion

noun · CEFR B1

a sudden and violent explosion, often used when clearing rock or destroying buildings.

For teachers: a sudden, violent explosion or the forceful wave of air pressure produced by one.

- The blast from the dynamite could be heard three miles away from the construction site.
- The shockwave from the blast shattered windows across the valley, demonstrating the sheer power of the industrial explosives used in the quarry.

### 2. a loud noise

noun · CEFR B2

a sudden, very loud sound, like a car horn or a trumpet.

For teachers: a sudden, loud, and often harsh acoustic signal.

- The ship gave a long blast of its whistle as it left the harbour.
- A sudden blast from the air horn startled the pedestrians, momentarily drowning out the ambient city traffic.

### 3. a fun time

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a very enjoyable or exciting experience.

For teachers: an exceptionally enjoyable or exciting event or experience.

- We had a blast at the theme park yesterday.
- Despite the initial travel delays, the entire group had a blast at the wedding reception, dancing until the early hours of the morning.

### 4. severe criticism

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a strong and angry verbal attack or piece of criticism.

For teachers: a severe and public verbal reprimand or criticism.

- The manager gave the team a blast for their poor performance in the first half.
- The senator faced a blast from the press after the controversial documents were leaked to the public.

### 6. to blow up

verb · CEFR B1

to destroy something using explosives.

For teachers: to shatter or destroy something by means of an explosion.

- Engineers had to blast the rock to make a tunnel for the new road.
- The demolition crew prepared to blast the derelict apartment block, ensuring all safety protocols were strictly followed before the countdown.

### 7. to play music loudly

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to play music or sound at a very high volume.

For teachers: to produce or broadcast sound, especially music, at an extremely high volume.

- Our neighbours were blasting music until two in the morning.
- The teenagers drove through the quiet residential street blasting heavy metal from their car speakers, much to the annoyance of the residents.

## Examples

- The party was a total blast.
- We had a blast at the concert last night despite the rain and the long walk back to the car.
- While the professional networking event was expected to be dry and formal, it turned out to be an absolute blast thanks to the charismatic guest speakers.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.