Phrase guide

blow out of proportion

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To overreact to or overstate; to treat too seriously or be overly concerned with.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • I don’t think we need to blow it out of proportion. There’s a problem, and we should fix it.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 小題大作 /小题大作 (xiǎotídàzuò) — overreact or overstate
  • Finnish: liioitella — overreact or overstate
  • Finnish: paisutella — overreact or overstate
  • Finnish: tehdä numero — overreact or overstate
  • Italian: ingigantire — overreact or overstate
  • Spanish: cargar las tintas — overreact or overstate
  • Welsh: gwneud môr a mynydd — overreact or overstate