blowback

noun

Definition of blowbacknext
as in fallout

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blowback After a series of online comments about Inaba were met with broad blowback, Chmerkovskiy was benched by the show for Tuesday’s upcoming episode. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2026 Saudi’s Houthi blowback The Houthis’ new tactic serves two purposes. — Laurent Bonnefoy, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 However, Brinley said any blowback was brief and the controversy reignited interest in the company. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026 Wearing her musical influences on her sleeve also has had its blowback. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for blowback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blowback
  1. fallout
  2. by-product
  3. side effect
  4. offshoot
Noun
  • But Griffin’s focus on the Times story and other fallout has, acquaintances say, continued.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • There is the emotional fallout — hurt, anger, sadness, relief.
    — Grey Battle, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of fallout
Noun
  • Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, a by-product of burning fossil fuels, has reached record-high levels (428 parts per million), as have other greenhouse gases such as methane (1,940 parts per billion) and nitrous oxide (340 parts per billion).
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Hydrogen, on the other hand, offers a cleaner way to run high-power applications, since its combustion produces water as a by-product and no carbon emissions.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of by-product
Noun
  • Last year, when Makary was still commissioner, the FDA added safety warnings to mRNA Covid-19 vaccines about a rare heart inflammation side effect.
    — Chelsea Cirruzzo, STAT, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Eventually, Ley hopes, the results could help fight this side effect of vaccines and, by extension, encourage higher vaccination rates.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of side effect
Noun
  • Tucked away at Stage 21 lies Innovative Dreams, an AI offshoot of director Jon Erwin’s Entertainment company Wonder Project.
    — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • North together, a practice regularly employed by networks in expanding franchises that helps to launch new offshoots and allows for seamless crossovers.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of offshoot

Browse Nearby Words

blow away
blowback
blowbacks
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blowback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blowback. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on blowback

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blowback

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All