Meaning trap
blow up
escalate rapidly
to become much more serious or intense very quickly, especially in reference to a situation, argument, or conflict.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to become much more serious or intense very quickly, especially in reference to a situation, argument, or conflict.
'blow up' also has the more basic meaning 'explode'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- What started as a minor disagreement quickly blew up into a major conflict between the two departments.conflict
- If negotiations are not handled carefully, a small misunderstanding can easily blow up into a significant diplomatic crisis.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: blow up (into something)
WrongThe scandal blew up into the news.
RightThe scandal blew up overnight. / The story blew up in the news.
Here 'blow up' = suddenly become big or serious; don't add 'into the news'.
Patternblow up (into something)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Blow up' captures a situation exploding in scale fast; the formal paraphrase is heavy.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
blow up (situation)the rowthe scandalovernightout of nowhere
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1 sense ('explode'), this sense is not literal and does not refer to physical destruction. It also differs from the B2 sense ('become very angry'), as it describes the escalation of a situation, not a person's emotional reaction.
Related
- blow up (explode) — 'blow up' also has the more basic meaning 'explode'; this is the advanced sense.