blow up

blow up

verb

Definition of BLOW UP

1

to become very angry <she blew up at everybody after a very long and very bad day>

Synonyms flare (up), flip (out) [slang]

Related Words anger, fulminate, rage, rant, rave, snap, snarl, sputter, storm, tee off, vent, vituperate; bristle, burn, foam, fume, glare, glower, seethe, sizzle, smolder (or smoulder), steam, warm; burst, explode, flare (out), flash, inflame (also enflame), madden

Phrases blow a gasket, blow one's cool, blow one's stack, blow one's top, fly into a rage, fly off the handle, forget oneself, go ballistic, have a fit, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, lose one's cool, lose one's temper

Near Antonyms chill out [slang], cool (off or down), relax; hush, quiet (down)

Antonyms calm (down), simmer down

2

to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure <the building blew up because of a gas leak>

Synonyms blow, blow up, burst, crump, detonate, go off, pop

Related Words fragment, shatter, smash, splinter; discharge, fire, shoot; balloon, burgeon (also bourgeon), mushroom

Near Antonyms collapse, fizzle

Antonyms implode

3

to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive <blew up the biggest rocks and then cleared them away>

Synonyms blow, blow up, burst, demolish, explode, pop, shatter, smash

Related Words dynamite; annihilate, decimate, destroy; ruin, wreck; detonate, discharge; fragment, splinter

Near Antonyms collapse, implode

4

to praise or publicize lavishly and often excessively <the advertisement blows the new soda up to the point where I half expected to be transported to a higher level of consciousness>

Synonyms ballyhoo, blow up, crack up, cry up, glorify, trumpet, tub-thump

Related Words acclaim, applaud, extol (also extoll), laud, magnify; commend, compliment, eulogize; advance, advertise, announce, blare, blaze, blazon, boost, herald, offer, plug, promote, publicize; assert, aver, claim, declare, lay down, make out, proclaim, pronounce