blow up

verb

1. to explode or cause to explode
2. tr to increase the importance of (something)

   they blew the whole affair up

3. intr to come into consideration

   we lived well enough before this thing blew up

4. intr to come into existence with sudden force

   a storm had blown up

5. informal.
   to lose one's temper (with a person)
6. informal.
   tr to reprimand (someone)
7. informal.
   tr to enlarge the size or detail of (a photograph)

noun

1. an explosion
2. informal.
   an enlarged photograph or part of a photograph
3. informal.
   a fit of temper or argument
4. informal.
   Also calledblowing up a reprimand

Example Sentences

Also, if life blows up even when you’ve been following the rules, it can feel like there’s no reason to “be good.”

From Salon

I was hemming and hawing if I should even put this in because I hate to blow up a spot.

From New York Times

“So you’re taking full credit for him blowing up in the podcast world?”

From Salon

In the end, the controversy over Verstappen’s tactics blew up only briefly, even if it has been a theme since he raced Lewis Hamilton for his first title in 2021.

From BBC

Almost instantly, his phone “started blowing up” with a string of violent messages.

From BBC

Related Words

• burst
• crash
• detonation
• eruption
• explosion
• outbreak
• outburst
• volley