go through the roof

1. Reach new or unexpected heights, as in After the war, food prices went through the roof . [ Colloquial ; first half of 1900s]

2. Also, hit the ceiling or roof . Lose one's temper, become very angry, as in Marge went through the roof when she heard she'd been fired . [ Colloquial ; first half of 1900s]

Related Words

• accelerate
• advance
• ascend
• build
• climb
• double
• expand
• go up
• improve
• lift
• move up
• multiply
• pick up
• raise
• soar
• swell

More About Go Through The Roof

What does go through the roof mean?

Go through the roof is a phrase that refers to something suddenly going really high or unexpectedly increasing greatly, as in The price of computers went through the roof after the parts shortage.

Go through the roof can also mean to get really angry, as in My mom went through the roof after she found out I broke the television.

Example: The company sold millions of new toys after an endorsement from the popular celebrity caused demand to go through the roof. 

Where does go through the roof come from?

The first records of go through the roof come from around 1946. It is a causal phrase that alludes to something going up so quickly and forcefully that it smashes through a roof and flies into the sky.

While both meanings of go through the roof are used, the sense of a sudden large increase is much more common. Go through the roof is used frequently in economics and marketing, particularly to discuss prices or sales figures.

Other things can go through the roof, as well, such as interest, popularity, and statistics.

Did you know … ?

What are some synonyms for go through the roof?

• skyrocket
• escalate
• rise
• shoot up
• soar

What are some words that share a root or word element with go through the roof? 

• go
• through
• the
• roof

What are some words that often get used in discussing go through the roof?

• prices
• sales
• demand
• popularity

How is go through the roof used in real life?

Go through the roof is a common phrase that refers to things suddenly increasing or going up a huge amount.

It's comforting knowing I'm not the only young adult who's nerves go through the roof when you have to make an important call lmao

— Craig (@gr33n_calx) November 11, 2020

Man my Company stock went through the roof today. Up 23%

— Popular Stranger (@smooth_moove) November 9, 2020

Working on holidays is literally pure torture my level of unhappiness truly goes through the roof

— half firefighter (@scuderiastark) November 16, 2020

Try using go through the roof!

Is go through the roof used correctly in the following sentence?

The new singer’s popularity caused record sales to go through the roof, and every store was sold out of the band’s albums.