blockbuster

blockbuster — noun

1. a story-based work, especially a film or novel, that draws a huge audience and m

1.nounB2
Definition

a story-based work, especially a film or novel, that draws a huge audience and makes a great deal of money.

Example

The summer blockbuster sold out every cinema in Taipei.

summer blockbuster — typical film collocation

Noa's first novel became a blockbuster within three months.

become + blockbuster

Common collocations
  • summer blockbuster
  • holiday blockbuster
  • blockbuster movie
  • blockbuster novel
  • become a blockbuster
Synonyms
  • hit

    the broad everyday word for something successful with the public

  • smash hit

    more informal and more forceful, stressing very large popularity

  • bestseller

    focuses on sales, especially of books, more than on overall cultural impact

  • sensation

    highlights excitement and public attention, sometimes with an element of surprise

Antonyms
  • flop

    an informal word for a film, show, or product that fails badly

  • dud

    something disappointing that does not succeed, often in informal speech

Grammar Patterns

a blockbuster movie

a blockbuster novel

become a blockbuster

Usage Note

Often placed before another noun, especially in phrases like 'blockbuster movie' and 'blockbuster novel'. It is also common after 'become', 'be', or 'call' when people judge a work by its large audience and strong sales.

Common Mistakes

The movie was very blockbuster.
The movie was a blockbuster.
here 'blockbuster' is a noun, so it needs an article after 'be'.
Our class notebook became a blockbuster.
Our class play became a blockbuster.
the word is mainly used for entertainment works or major commercial releases, not ordinary everyday items.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Blockbuster', 'hit', 'smash hit', 'bestseller', and 'sensation' all point to strong public success, but they do not stress the same thing. 'Hit' is the broad everyday choice for a successful song, film, show, or product. 'Smash hit' is more informal and more excited in tone. 'Bestseller' is narrower: it mainly refers to sales, especially of books. 'Sensation' highlights buzz, surprise, and public talk. 'Blockbuster' usually suggests both scale and money, especially for films and big novels. A memoir can be a bestseller without feeling like a blockbuster, and a new series can be a sensation before its sales are proven. Say 'The film was a blockbuster' for huge commercial success, but 'Her memoir became a bestseller' when sales are the main fact.

hit ↗smash hitbestseller ↗sensation ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • summer blockbuster
  • holiday blockbuster
  • Hollywood blockbuster
  • blockbuster movie
  • blockbuster novel

Phrases

  • become a blockbuster
  • turn into a blockbuster
  • be called a blockbuster

Etymology

English

The word began in American English during the Second World War as the name of a huge bomb said to be strong enough to destroy a whole city block. It was formed from 'block' and 'buster', from the verb 'bust' meaning 'break open'. Later, English speakers started using it figuratively for anything with a very large impact, and by the mid-twentieth century it had become a common word for films, books, and similar works that bring in huge audiences and a lot of money.