plural blowups
: a blowing up: such as
a
b
: an outburst of temper
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
David Henry
: 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
Ian BurrellSleeping 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
Becky Pemberton
blew up; blown up; blowing up; blows up
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
Jake Peterson1
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
Tim Crothers4
: to suddenly become very successful, prevalent, or popular
Latin-tinged pop is blowing up because it fits the musical times: …—Christopher John Farley
Christopher John Farley
Synonyms
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 WebMarisa Kashino, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
Another risk factor is the possibility of a financial blowup as higher interest rates eventually bite.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2023
Kweli had quickly forgotten the brief blowups, both mine and Matilda’s.
—Anja Mutic, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2023
The basis trade, an innocuous-looking practice at the center of some of Wall Street’s historic blowups, is back.
—Eric Wallerstein, WSJ, 13 Sep. 2023
The tail-docking blowup is just the latest controversy to embroil the company.
—Heather Hollingsworth, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2023
The nomination Wednesday was largely overshadowed by a blowup inside the ruling party, known as Morena.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
Regardless those blowups back in the day with Ortiz-Margo, Giancola looks back on Jersey Shore with positivity.
—Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 31 July 2023
By three, one, four, five, one, one, five, five and, finally on Sunday, by two runs in a disheartening bullpen blowup that dropped the Tigers to 26-37, 11 games under .500 and 5½ games back in the American League Central (which is, ahem, still really not a good division).
—Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press, 12 June 2023
Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 1 Nov. 2023
Episodes such as the Silicon Valley Bank blow-up are seen by some as a direct result of central bank reserves creation under QE, along with regulatory and supervision failures.
—Jana Randow, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2023
Just as entertainment industry insiders were cautiously optimistic about production rebounding in October and November, SAG-AFTRA leaders and management negotiators had another public blow-up last week.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 15 Oct. 2023
There were six, but Giovanni, Lopez’s teenage son, left this past spring, after getting in a big blow-up fight with his dad.
—Brianna Sacks, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2023
The Call Her Daddy blow-up, insofar as it was centered around an imbroglio between two female friends, led to some viewing Cooper as having thrown Franklyn under the bus.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2023
The current state of live performances is starting to make more and more of a case for artists to just perform in those giant blow-up hamster balls.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2023
As viewers quickly learn in season 2, Lisa and Brian are have a huge, blow-up fight that involves a lot of intense moments, curse words, shouting, and storming off.
—Korin Miller, Women's Health, 24 Aug. 2023
Each blow-up piece has built-in LED lights and stakes and string are included for easy setup.
—Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 16 Aug. 2023
Eric Sylvers, WSJ, 24 Nov. 2023
For all of that, the rocket and spacecraft ultimately blew up.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 23 Nov. 2023
Meanwhile, all of Silicon Valley blew up, tarnishing OpenAI’s status, maybe permanently.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2023
Jordan blew up a photo of a crackling fire to the size of a poster and hid it behind a Victorian fire screen.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 17 Nov. 2023
Combs allegedly blew up Kid Cudi’s car in 2012 because Ventura was dating him.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2023
Many soldiers struggle with aggression, but none has blown up at the school.
—Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Nov. 2023
Soon, a second drone—an FPV model with explosives attached—followed the Russians through the BTR’s open hatch, and blew up.
—David Axe, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
The five-piece is a leading light in the wave of young regional Mexican music to blow up TikTok and the Billboard charts.
—August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2023
See More
Noun
Some blowups, however, had more to do with being considerate of each other.
—Marisa Kashino, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
Another risk factor is the possibility of a financial blowup as higher interest rates eventually bite.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2023
Kweli had quickly forgotten the brief blowups, both mine and Matilda’s.
—Anja Mutic, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2023
The basis trade, an innocuous-looking practice at the center of some of Wall Street’s historic blowups, is back.
—Eric Wallerstein, WSJ, 13 Sep. 2023
The tail-docking blowup is just the latest controversy to embroil the company.
—Heather Hollingsworth, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2023
The nomination Wednesday was largely overshadowed by a blowup inside the ruling party, known as Morena.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
Regardless those blowups back in the day with Ortiz-Margo, Giancola looks back on Jersey Shore with positivity.
—Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 31 July 2023
By three, one, four, five, one, one, five, five and, finally on Sunday, by two runs in a disheartening bullpen blowup that dropped the Tigers to 26-37, 11 games under .500 and 5½ games back in the American League Central (which is, ahem, still really not a good division).
—Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press, 12 June 2023
Adjective
Not unlike years past, the streets were filled with an assortment of ghosts, monsters, Disney princesses and blow-up dinosaurs.
—Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 1 Nov. 2023
Episodes such as the Silicon Valley Bank blow-up are seen by some as a direct result of central bank reserves creation under QE, along with regulatory and supervision failures.
—Jana Randow, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2023
Just as entertainment industry insiders were cautiously optimistic about production rebounding in October and November, SAG-AFTRA leaders and management negotiators had another public blow-up last week.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 15 Oct. 2023
There were six, but Giovanni, Lopez’s teenage son, left this past spring, after getting in a big blow-up fight with his dad.
—Brianna Sacks, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2023
The Call Her Daddy blow-up, insofar as it was centered around an imbroglio between two female friends, led to some viewing Cooper as having thrown Franklyn under the bus.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2023
The current state of live performances is starting to make more and more of a case for artists to just perform in those giant blow-up hamster balls.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2023
As viewers quickly learn in season 2, Lisa and Brian are have a huge, blow-up fight that involves a lot of intense moments, curse words, shouting, and storming off.
—Korin Miller, Women's Health, 24 Aug. 2023
Each blow-up piece has built-in LED lights and stakes and string are included for easy setup.
—Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 16 Aug. 2023
Verb
The Israel military kept the pressure on Hamas right up to the cease-fire deadline, blowing up tunnels while attacking the Gaza Strip from land, air and sea.
—Eric Sylvers, WSJ, 24 Nov. 2023
For all of that, the rocket and spacecraft ultimately blew up.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 23 Nov. 2023
Meanwhile, all of Silicon Valley blew up, tarnishing OpenAI’s status, maybe permanently.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2023
Jordan blew up a photo of a crackling fire to the size of a poster and hid it behind a Victorian fire screen.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 17 Nov. 2023
Combs allegedly blew up Kid Cudi’s car in 2012 because Ventura was dating him.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2023
Many soldiers struggle with aggression, but none has blown up at the school.
—Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Nov. 2023
Soon, a second drone—an FPV model with explosives attached—followed the Russians through the BTR’s open hatch, and blew up.
—David Axe, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
The five-piece is a leading light in the wave of young regional Mexican music to blow up TikTok and the Billboard charts.
—August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blowup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
Dictionary Entries Near blowup
Cite this Entry
“Blowup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blowup. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
blowup
1 of 2 noun
blow·up
ˈblō-ˌəp 
blow up
2 of 2 verbˈblō-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
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