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

"You can have the best marketing, you can have the best game, you can get rave reviews, but you're still flipping a coin as to whether it's going to blow up," Adam says.

From BBC

For starters he is willing to blow up the Mexico-Canada-America trade deal that he signed in his first term on day one of his second term.

From BBC

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

Related Words

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