blowup
Americannoun
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an explosion.
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a violent argument, outburst of temper, or the like, especially one resulting in estrangement.
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Also blow-up an enlargement of a photograph.
Etymology
Origin of blowup
First recorded in 1800–10; noun use of verb phrase blow up
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.
That may have reached its limits with the blowup over Powell.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026
That should have a negative impact on the market—and that assumes no blowup in the bond market or anything like that.
From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026
Ahead of the August 2024 blowup, speculators were extremely short on the yen.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 5, 2025
The U.S. unit, led by Boland, played a key role in the 2023 blowup of the planned split of EY’s audit and advisory arms.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025
Before the blowup with Dina, Molly had planned to go to Vivian’s tomorrow, to tell her what she found at the library.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
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.
