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to cause something to explode
to explode forcefully and releasing energy through a chemical or physical reaction
to fill with air or gas until something becomes inflated
to make something larger
to increase in size
to make something seem larger or more significant than it actually is
to add additional information or details on a topic
to become extremely angry and lose control
to gain sudden and massive popularity, especially online or on social media
What does "to blow up" mean in internet slang?
The structure is a phrasal verb borrowed from its real world meaning of exploding, repurposed to describe sudden and massive popularity. It is used to describe content, creators, or trends that gain an enormous amount of attention in a very short time, such as a video getting millions of views overnight or a meme spreading across every platform. People typically say "this blew up" when their post far exceeds their usual engagement.
