blowup

1 of 3

noun

blow·​up ˈblō-ˌəp 

plural blowups

: a blowing up: such as

a

: explosion

b

: an outburst of temper

c

: enlargement sense 2

d

: a catastrophic financial failure or collapse

Sometime in the next few years, a blowup is likely—one that could sink an already foundering economy.

—David Henry

blow-up

2 of 3

adjective

ˈblō-ˌəp 

: designed to be inflated before use : inflatable

Here on the south coast the unusually warm seas have been filled with the inflatable vessels … : blow-up kayaks, dinghies and paddleboards.

—Ian Burrell

Sleeping in the car has now gone from rough and ready to the most comfortable outdoor experience—thanks to an ingenious blow-up mattress.

—Becky Pemberton

blow up

3 of 3

verb

blew up; blown up; blowing up; blows up

transitive verb

1

: to build up or tout to an unreasonable extent

advertisers blowing up their products

2

: to rend apart, shatter, or destroy by explosion

3

: to fill up with a gas (such as air)

blow up a balloon

4

: to make a photographic enlargement of

5

: to bring into existence by blowing of wind

it may blow up a storm

6

: to overwhelm (something, such as a phone) with calls, messages, alerts, etc.

… say your friend is blowing up your phone with … messages while you're supposed to be focusing on something else.

—Jake Peterson

intransitive verb

1

a

: explode

b

: to be disrupted or destroyed (as by explosion)

c

: to lose self-control

especially : to become violently angry

2

: to become or come into being by or as if by blowing of wind

3

a

: to become filled with a gas

b

: to become expanded to unreasonable proportions

c

: to gain a large amount of weight

In the ensuing two years Gibson blew up to more than 400 pounds as he ate an over-abundance of fast foods …

—Tim Crothers

4

: to suddenly become very successful, prevalent, or popular

Latin-tinged pop is blowing up because it fits the musical times: …

—Christopher John Farley

Synonyms

Noun

• scene
• huff
• explosion
• outburst
• fit
• reaction
• frenzy
• fireworks
• tantrum

Verb

• anger
• fly into a rage
• hit the roof
• flare (up)
• fly off the handle
• snarl
• hit the ceiling
• have a fit
• flip (out) [slang]
• blow a gasket
• snap
• blow one's top
• go ballistic
• glare
• blow one's stack

Examples of blowup in a Sentence

Noun

The blowup of the photograph was easy to frame.

The two of them had a big blowup about something trivial.

The coach's latest blowup occurred when one of his players arrived late.

Verb

she blew up at everybody after a very long and very bad day

the building blew up because of a gas leak

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Despite the public blowup, administration officials told CBS News last week that there had been no efforts to oust officials who came from Musk's orbit. —Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 12 June 2025

And there's history of the market going from existential panic to exhilarating audacity in a blink, such as when the 1998 near-bear market on hedge-fund blowups reversed to give way to the gluttonous risk binge of 1999. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 9 June 2025

Adjective

Her store was accused of violating Huntley building and sign ordinances, partially because of a 6-foot-tall blow-up replica of Trump that greets passersby outside the shop along Illinois Route 47, as well as her use of sidewalk space for outdoor signs and merchandise. —Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025

While this is a very juicy revelation, Brit’s arrival and her subsequent blow-up with Kelli eclipse Angela’s announcement. —Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 23 June 2025

Verb

He’s also spoken out about death threats amid an NYPD hate crimes investigation into allegations that a man threatened to blow up his car. —Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 20 June 2025

One of those blew up on its landing attempt while another was purposefully expended to get its payload to a higher orbital insertion. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1757, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1850, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1538, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for blowup

• backup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup
• pickup

Kids Definition

blowup

1 of 2 noun

blow·​up ˈblō-ˌəp 

1

: explosion sense 1

2

: an outburst of bad temper

3

: a photographic enlargement

blow up

2 of 2 verb

ˈblō-ˈəp

1

: to expand or become expanded to extraordinary size

2

: to fill up or become filled with a gas and especially air

blow up a balloon

3

: to make an enlargement of

blow up a photograph

4

a

: to destroy or become destroyed by explosion

b

: to become violently angry