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Blow up meaning

Blow up means to explode, or destroy something with a bomb. It can also mean to fill something with air.

Check yourself: 3 questions

blow something up

blow up · blew · blown · blowing

B1Separable+3 more meanings

The old bridge was blown up during the war.

Blow up meanings and examples

4 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.

  1. 1explode, or destroy something with a bomb
  2. 2fill something with air
  3. 3suddenly get very angry and shout
  4. 4make a photo or picture bigger
  1. 1

    Explode, or destroy something with a bomb

    blow something up

    B1Separable

    • The old bridge was blown up during the war.
    • Engineers blew up the empty tower at six in the morning.
    • Soldiers found an old bomb and blew it up safely.
  2. 2

    Fill something with air

    blow something up

    B1Separable

    • Can you help me blow up these balloons?
    • I need to blow up my bike tyres before the ride.
    • The air bed is flat. Did you blow it up?
  3. 3

    Suddenly get very angry and shout

    blow up

    C2No object

    • My dad blew up when he saw the scratch on his car.
    • I’m sorry I blew up at you yesterday.
    • She doesn’t usually blow up over small things.
  4. 4

    Make a photo or picture bigger

    blow something up

    B2Separable

    • We blew up our wedding photo and hung it in the hall.
    • I love this photo. Can you blow it up for me?
    • If you blow up the image too much, it looks blurry.
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Is blow up separable?

With an object, blow up is separable: blow up the balloons, blow the balloons up. With a pronoun, the pronoun goes in the middle: blow it up.

With no object it means explode or get angry: The car blew up. He blew up at me. Add at before the person you are angry with.

Verb tenses for blow up

PresentI blow up · she blows up
Pastblew up
Present perfecthave blown up
-ing formblowing up

Common mistakes with blow up

What learners often say, and what to say instead.

  • Wrong: The balloon is flat. Can you blow up it?

    Right: The balloon is flat. Can you blow it up?

    A pronoun goes between blow and up.

  • Wrong: He blew up to me because I was late.

    Right: He blew up at me because I was late.

    Use at before the person: blow up at someone.

  • Wrong: The bomb was blowed up at night.

    Right: The bomb was blown up at night.

    Blow is irregular: blow, blew, blown.

Synonyms and opposites of blow up

Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.

Similar

Opposite

Blow up quiz

Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.

  1. 1We need forty balloons for the party. Who will help me ___ them ___?

  2. 2Choose the right sentence.

  3. 3“Can you blow up this photo for my gran?” What does the speaker want?

Find your level

The phrasal verbs test adapts as you answer, from A2 to C1, and shows which ones you miss.

Test yourself on blow upTake the full test

Blow up FAQ

Questions people ask about blow up.

What does my phone is blowing up mean?

It is informal and means you are getting lots of messages or calls very quickly. My phone blew up after I posted the news.

What is the difference between blow up and blow out?

You blow up a balloon to fill it with air. You blow out a candle to stop it burning.

What is the noun of blow up?

A blow-up can be a big photo or a sudden angry argument: There was a huge blow-up at work. As an adjective, a blow-up bed or pool is one you fill with air.

Use blow up in real conversations

In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.

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