Synonyms of blowup

blowup 1 of 2

noun

ˈblō-ˌəp 

1

as in scene

an outburst or display of excited anger

the boss had another blowup when someone fouled up the copy machine

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scene
• huff
• explosion
• outburst
• fit
• reaction
• frenzy
• fireworks
• tantrum
• rage
• hysteria
• seizure
• hissy fit
• upheaval
• distraction
• storm
• eruption
• hissy
• fury
• agitation
• rampage
• temper
• indignation
• uproar
• spasm
• flare-up
• furore
• furor
• delirium
• wrath
• paroxysm
• pouts
• rise
• ire
• snit
• spleen
• lividity
• wrathfulness
• convulsion(s)
• pet
• lividness
• angriness
• sulkiness
• hump
• choler
• dander
• sullenness
• irateness
• grouch
• sulk(s)

2

as in eruption

the act or an instance of exploding

the last blowup of the volcano flattened trees for miles around

Synonyms & Similar Words

• eruption
• explosion
• firing
• bursting
• detonation
• blast
• burst
• outburst
• shooting
• blowout
• boom
• pop
• discharge
• flare-up
• bang
• airburst
• groundburst

blow up

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to anger

to become very angry

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• anger
• fly into a rage
• hit the roof
• flare (up)
• fly off the handle
• snarl
• hit the ceiling
• have a fit
• flip (out)
• blow a gasket
• snap
• blow one's top
• go ballistic
• blow one's stack
• glare
• explode
• lose one's temper
• blow one's cool
• forget oneself
• lose one's cool
• storm
• steam
• tee off
• flare (out)
• flash
• rage
• warm
• foam
• rave
• vituperate
• sputter
• rant
• fulminate
• burst
• vent
• bristle
• burn
• glower
• smolder
• sizzle
• fume
• seethe
• inflame
• madden

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calm (down)
• cool (off or down)
• relax
• simmer down
• quiet (down)
• chill out
• hush

2

as in to detonate

to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure

the building blew up because of a gas leak

Synonyms & Similar Words

• detonate
• explode
• blow
• pop
• burst
• go off
• fragment
• crump
• smash
• fire
• shatter
• discharge
• splinter
• shoot
• mushroom
• balloon
• burgeon

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collapse
• implode
• fizzle

3

as in to smash

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 & Similar Words

• smash
• shatter
• demolish
• blow
• destroy
• burst
• pop
• explode
• blast
• detonate
• annihilate
• ruin
• wreck
• fragment
• dynamite
• decimate
• discharge
• splinter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collapse
• implode

4

as in to crack up

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 & Similar Words

• crack up
• advertise
• announce
• cry up
• promote
• tub-thump
• acclaim
• trumpet
• tout
• commend
• offer
• glorify
• applaud
• compliment
• ballyhoo
• laud
• extol
• proclaim
• pronounce
• eulogize
• magnify
• publicize
• lay down
• plug
• blare
• claim
• herald
• blaze
• declare
• make out
• assert
• boost
• blazon
• advance
• aver

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of blowup

Noun

In movies, friendships end with a big blowup after there has been a significant betrayal by one party. — Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 2 July 2026

The history of peacemaking – from Kadesh to the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian war, to the Belfast Agreement that halted the 30-year sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland – shows that public blowups and threats to walk out are normal stages, not proof of failure. — Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 25 June 2026

Verb

That mistake, and may others made in that draft and the ones that followed, eventually blew up in the team’s face. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 1 Nov. 2026

The infamous plot to blow up the English government started with the anti-Roman Catholic Penal Laws of the 16th century—a series of laws that basically criminalized Roman Catholicism. — Lucia Barnum, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Oct. 2026