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Glite Dictionary
💥 To explode 🌐 To go viral 🎈 To fill with air 😡 To get very angry 🦶 To swell 📢 To exaggerate 📝 To add details 🖼️ To enlarge
to blow up

to blow up

7 2.7
To swell or become larger suddenly
  • phrasal verb
  • /bloʊ ʌp/
translation icon : hincharse
  • Then I saw that the back of my hand, just forward of the wrist, had blown up.

Like egg whites blow up in terms of size.

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Examples

  • It just blows up and it feels different.

    Pumping Iron (1977)

  • It must have been fun being young and right in the middle of a cultural phenomenon as it's blowing up.

    Blog text (27)

  • What did you just blow up?

    Desert Blue (1999)

  • We can go blow up palm trees later.

    The Big Bounce (2004)

  • Like egg whites blow up in terms of size.

    Alex Hormozi

  • Even the tiniest bit and I blow up like a Thanksgiving Day balloon.

    Vamps (2012)

  • You see around you a family of circles, but the size of the circles grows very rapidly, blows up very, very rapidly.

  • I will continue to say nothing until one day I blow up like a firecracker, and it all comes tumbling down.

    Blog text (21)

  • For vocal introduction, I have my students explore breath by using imagery—blowing up a balloon, keeping a feather afloat, or blowing out candles.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The balloon started to blow up when air was pumped into it.

Synonyms

to explode
vsto blow up
136 4.3

To increase very quickly in number or size

is physical enlargement often sudden, not only uncontrolled numerical growth
to swell
vsto blow up
117 3.2

To become larger often by pressure or by soaking in water

is usually a sudden enlargement rather than a slow internal change
to zoom
vsto blow up
54 3.7

To rise very quickly in amount or value

is making something larger often suddenly, not simply rapid rise in numbers
to skyrocket
vsto blow up
52 4.1

To rise very quickly to a high level

is physical growth often sudden, not confined to sharp numeric jumps
to inflate
vsto blow up
44 2.9

To fill something with air so it becomes larger and round

is broader swelling often sudden, not only by air or gas
to surge
vsto blow up
41 3.7

To rise suddenly and strongly in amount or number

is physical enlargement often sudden rather than only a powerful rise
to swell up
vsto blow up
28 3.9

Become larger and rounder because of liquid, injury, or illness

is often sudden enlargement and not only due to fluid or injury
to shoot up
vsto blow up
25 4.1

Rise quickly to a much higher level

is physical enlargement often sudden, not only a sudden numeric rise
to balloon
vsto blow up
21 4.7

To increase quickly in size or amount

is swelling often sudden but not always the fast expansion implied
to puff
vsto blow up
20 4.1

To swell or make part of the body larger

is often sudden enlargement and can be larger or longer lasting
to bloat
vsto blow up
19 4.9

To become swollen because of gas or fluid

is general enlargement often sudden, not only caused by gases
to distend
vsto blow up
12 8.2

To swell because of pressure inside, for example a stomach or a balloon

is often sudden enlargement and not restricted to internal pressure
to puff out
vsto blow up
5 3.5

To make something larger by filling with air or pride

is broader and often sudden, not only caused by air or pride
to bulge out
vsto blow up
3 3.7

To stick out in a round shape, like a pocket or balloon

is broader enlargement often sudden rather than only a local protrusion
to puff up
vsto blow up
2 4.4

To make something larger or more full, for example by filling it with air

is general enlargement often sudden, not just air or emotion driven
to rocket up
vsto blow up
2 4.4

Increase very quickly to a much higher level

is enlargement often sudden, not solely about steep numerical rises
to blimp out
vsto blow up
  • Informal
1 9.2

To become much larger, often by filling with air

is the neutral term for swelling, not limited to slang or informality
to overinflate
vsto blow up
1 4.5

Fill something with too much air so it may burst

is ordinary enlargement often sudden, not implying dangerous overfilling
to intumesce
vsto blow up
  • Specialized
9.9

To swell and become larger when heated or when it soaks up water

is broader, meaning enlargement often sudden, not only heat related
to upswell
vsto blow up
7.2

To rise suddenly in amount or feeling

is general enlargement often sudden but applies beyond figurative rises

Antonyms

to shrink
181 2.8

Become less in amount or value

to contract
52 3.0

Become smaller or tighter, for example when a muscle shortens

How Swollen

to balloon
21 4.7
to bloat
19 4.9
to blow up
7 2.7
to swell
117 3.2
to puff up
2 4.4

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

blow + up

The sense 'become suddenly very popular' is a metaphorical extension of the literal senses of 'blow' (sudden force/expansion/explosion) plus the intensifying particle 'up', so a learner who knows the constituents can likely infer a general idea of rapid increase or spread. However, the social-media nuance (viral sharing/popularity) and the specific usage as a phrasal verb are not fully predictable from the parts alone, so prior exposure helps for the full meaning.

Etymology

Blow up can mean to swell quickly, like when an injured ankle blows up and becomes round and puffy. That's why it means 'to swell' or become larger suddenly.