blown-up
Americanadjective
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(of a picture, photograph, image, etc.) enlarged.
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damaged or destroyed by demolition, explosion, etc..
blown-up bridges.
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(of a ball, balloon, etc.) inflated.
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overexpanded; unduly large.
a blown-up sense of importance.
Etymology
Origin of blown-up
First recorded in 1860–65
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She decorated the space with blown-up photographs from New York Fashion Week, old family photos from Puerto Rico and a Barbie print.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
"Things can get spoken about and blown-up pretty heavily. I feel for them, in a way. It can be tricky."
From BBC • Dec. 25, 2025
Longnecker’s bedroom is decorated with blown-up photos of Miles, and its walls are covered with his ribbons, alongside her equestrian prizes.
From Seattle Times • May 12, 2024
Large canvases by Celaya include blown-up snippets from his childhood notebook, surrounded by interpretations of waves and seascapes.
From New York Times • May 2, 2024
I glance at the end of the booth and see hookah sets, golden swords, and blown-up black-and-white harem pictures from some previous era propped against, yes, camel bridles.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
