blow out of proportion

Meaning

This casual idiom means to make a minor problem or event seem much bigger, more serious, or more important than it actually is. It is often used when someone is overreacting to a small mistake or misunderstanding. The tone is usually critical of the person who is exaggerating.

Examples

• It was just a minor misunderstanding, but the media blew it completely out of proportion.

  It was just a minor misunderstanding, but the media blew it completely out of proportion.

• Please don't blow things out of proportion; I only arrived five minutes late.

  Please don't blow things out of proportion; I only arrived five minutes late.

• She has a tendency to blow minor arguments out of proportion.

  She has a tendency to blow minor arguments out of proportion.

• The boss blew the issue out of proportion instead of finding a simple solution.

  The boss blew the issue out of proportion instead of finding a simple solution.

• I know I made a mistake, but there is no need to blow it out of proportion.

  I know I made a mistake, but there is no need to blow it out of proportion.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Don't blow it out of the proportion.

  ✓ Don't blow it out of proportion.

  The idiom is 'out of proportion' without the definite article 'the'.

• ✗ He blew up the issue out of proportion.

  ✓ He blew the issue out of proportion.

  Adding 'up' is redundant and incorrect here. While 'blow up' means to explode, the idiom for exaggeration is simply 'blow out of proportion'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• It was just a tiny scratch on the car, but he ___.

  💡 Made it seem much worse than it was (past tense).

  Show answer

  blew it out of proportion

• We need to calm down before we ___.

  💡 Exaggerate this small issue.

  Show answer

  blow this out of proportion