What does "blow up" mean?

To escalate dramatically For a situation to become much worse or more intense.

How do you use "blow up" in a sentence?

The situation blew up in my face. A small mistake blew up into a crisis. Things really blew up at the meeting.

Phrasal Verb BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common informal

Meaning: To escalate dramatically

（事态）急剧升级、爆发

Explotar, escalar dramáticamente

（事態が）急激に悪化する、大事になる

(사태가) 급격히 악화되다, 폭발하다

For a situation to become much worse or more intense.

情况变得更糟或更加激烈。

Cuando una situación se vuelve mucho peor o más intensa.

状況がはるかに悪化したり、激化したりすること。

상황이 훨씬 나빠지거나 격렬해지다.

Base verb: blow

Particle: up

Separable: No — the verb and particle stay together

The situation blew up in my face.
情况在我面前失控了
La situación me estalló en la cara
状況が自分の目の前で爆発した
상황이 내 눈앞에서 폭발했다.
A small mistake blew up into a crisis.
一个小错误演变成了危机
Un pequeño error se convirtió en una crisis
小さなミスが危機に発展した
작은 실수가 위기로 번졌다.
Things really blew up at the meeting.
会议上事情真的闹大了
Las cosas realmente estallaron en la reunión
会議で事態が本当に大事になった
회의에서 사태가 정말 심각해졌다.

Context: escalation, crisis, anger

Tone: dramatic

From explosions expanding rapidly.

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal