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Glite Dictionary
to blow a fuse

to blow a fuse

1 7.4
To suddenly become very angry
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : perder los estribos
  • I hope I wasn't rude, but I have an appointment, and if I'm late, they'll blow a fuse.

And we did an episode called Response to Norman Finkelstein, where they made very strong arguments against him and he blew a fuse.

Examples

  • He really blew a fuse about his car.

    Little Boy (2015)

  • Look don't blow a fuse

    Bad Girls (2021)

  • Where do you get off blowing a fuse like that?

    Son of a Gun (2014)

  • She blew a fuse when she heard the unfair accusations.

  • He tends to blow a fuse when things don't go his way.

  • After the constant interruptions, I finally blew a fuse.

Synonyms

to explode
vsto blow a fuse
187 3.5

To suddenly show a strong feeling, often anger

is sudden anger specifically rather than any strong feeling
to erupt
vsto blow a fuse
123 4.2

To suddenly start in a strong or violent way, often showing strong feeling

is sudden anger focused on personal emotion rather than events
to lash out
vsto blow a fuse
71 5.6

Suddenly say angry things about someone by speaking or writing

is sudden anger that may not be directed as a criticism or attack
to go ballistic
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
22 7.5

Suddenly become very angry

is sudden anger often less intense than this explosive reaction
to throw a tantrum
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
18 4.4

To show sudden strong anger or upset, often like a child

is sudden anger that is less uncontrolled or dramatic
to blow up
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
16 4.7

To suddenly become very angry and lose control

is sudden anger that may not show clear loss of outward control
to have a fit
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
16 5.3

To suddenly become very angry or upset and show it strongly

is sudden anger that may be calmer or less visibly dramatic
to throw a fit
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
12 6.1

To suddenly become very angry or upset in a loud, obvious way

is sudden anger that may be less dramatic or more private
to see red
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
10 6.8

To become very angry suddenly

is sudden anger with similar timing but general phrasing
to fly off
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
7 5.3

To suddenly get very angry without warning

is sudden anger but not necessarily without prior signs
to hit the roof
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
4 6.7

To suddenly become very angry

is very similar but may be less extreme in intensity
to combust
vsto blow a fuse
4 8.2

To become suddenly very angry and lose control

is sudden anger used in ordinary speech rather than figurative phrasing
to hit the ceiling
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
3 6.8

To suddenly get very angry

is the same sudden anger but sometimes used more broadly
to lose one's temper
vsto blow a fuse
2 3.7

To suddenly become very angry and not be able to control yourself

is sudden anger that may still allow some control or calm
to blow one's stack
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
2 8.6

Suddenly get very angry and show it

is sudden anger that can be slightly less extreme
to go nuclear
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
2 8.3

To become extremely angry and shout or act violently

is sudden anger that may be less aggressive or violent
to rip someone's head off
vsto blow a fuse
  • Offensive
1 8.5

Shout at someone in a very angry way and threaten them

is sudden anger that may not target a specific person so directly
to pop off
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
1 8.1

To suddenly say something angry without warning

is sudden anger that may not include immediate speaking or outburst
to go off on one
vsto blow a fuse
  • UK
1 9.9

To suddenly get very angry and speak loudly for a long time

is sudden anger that is shorter or less prolonged in duration
to blow one's top
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
8.0

To suddenly become very angry

is sudden anger without necessarily losing self control
to flip one's lid
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
9.1

To become suddenly very angry and lose control

is sudden anger that may not always involve complete loss of emotion control
to flip one's wig
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
9.9

To suddenly become very angry and lose control of yourself

is sudden anger possibly less extreme or upsetting in tone
to flip the bitch switch
vsto blow a fuse
  • Offensive
9.9

To suddenly become very angry and behave in a mean way

is sudden anger that may not include marked aggression or hostility
to throw a wobbly
vsto blow a fuse
  • UK
9.9

To become suddenly very angry and upset in a dramatic way

is sudden anger that may be more controlled or less dramatic
to burst a blood vessel
vsto blow a fuse
  • Informal
6.9

To become very angry or upset in a way people notice

is sudden anger that may not involve visible physical signs or stress

Antonyms

to calm down
  • Informal
594 1.4

To become less angry, excited, or upset

How Angry

to fly off
  • Informal
7 5.3
to blow a fuse
  • Informal
1 7.4
annoyed
77 1.0

Surface Forms

blow a fuse infinitive
blowing a fuse present participle
blows a fuse third person singular
blew a fuse past
blown a fuse past participle

Morphology

blow + a + fuse

The meaning is a metaphorical extension from the literal event of an electrical fuse 'blowing' under overload: a learner who knows 'blow' and 'fuse' could infer a sense of a sudden failure or loss of control. However, mapping that physical event specifically to 'becoming very angry' relies on cultural/technical knowledge about fuses and is not fully predictable for an average B1 learner (though some languages have similar idioms), so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

The idiom blow a fuse comes from old electrical fuses, a small piece that would blow (pop) and suddenly stop the power when there was a problem. People used that loud, sudden image to talk about someone who suddenly loses control, so blow a fuse means 'to become very angry'.