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B2 verb #7,000 le plus courant 13 min de lecture

blowout

Top 7,000

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces blowout en 30 secondes

Explication blowout in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'blow out' is used in very simple, everyday situations. The most important meaning to learn is about birthday cakes. When it is your birthday, you have candles on a cake. You take a big breath and use your mouth to push air. The fire on the candle goes away. This is 'blowing out' the candles. You might also blow out a small match after you use it to light a candle. It is a physical action that children learn very early. In simple English, we use it as a command: 'Blow out the candles!' or as a simple description: 'He blows out the fire.' At this level, you don't need to worry about the sports or tire meanings. Just think about birthdays and small fires. It is a fun and happy word for beginners. You can also think of the wind. Sometimes, the wind is strong and it blows out a small candle on a table outside. The word is easy to remember because 'blow' is what you do with your mouth, and 'out' is what happens to the fire—it is gone. This is a basic phrasal verb that helps you talk about parties and simple actions at home. You will see it in many children's stories and basic English textbooks. Remember to use two words: 'blow' and 'out'.

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For A2 learners, 'blow out' remains focused on extinguishing flames, but you might start to see it in slightly more complex sentences. You should understand that it is a phrasal verb and that you can put the object in the middle. For example, 'Blow the candles out' and 'Blow out the candles' both mean the same thing. You might also encounter the word in the context of a 'blowout sale.' If you go to a shopping mall, you might see a big sign that says 'Blowout Sale! 70% Off!' This means the shop wants to sell everything very fast for a low price. It is like a big explosion of low prices. At A2, you are starting to see how English words can have a 'literal' meaning (like a candle) and a 'metaphorical' meaning (like a sale). You might also hear it in very simple sports talk. If a team wins 10-0, your friend might say, 'It was a blowout.' This means the game was not close at all. It was an easy win. You should practice using it in past tense too: 'Yesterday, I blew out the candles on my cake.' The past tense of 'blow' is 'blew,' which is an irregular verb. This is a common point of confusion for A2 students, so remember: blow, blew, blown.

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At the B1 level, you should be comfortable with 'blow out' in several different contexts. First, you should understand the mechanical meaning. If you are driving a car and the tire suddenly breaks with a loud noise, that is a 'blowout.' This is an important word for travel and safety. You might say, 'I was late because I had a tire blowout on the highway.' Second, you should understand the electrical meaning. If you use too many machines at once, like a hair dryer and a microwave, the power might stop. You 'blew out a fuse.' This is common in older houses. Third, you should be able to use 'blow out' to describe sports more naturally. It's not just for a 10-0 score; it's for any game where one side is much stronger. You can also use it for elections. 'The president won in a blowout' means he got many more votes than the other person. At B1, you should also notice how the word changes from a verb ('to blow out') to a noun ('a blowout'). Notice that the noun is usually one word and the verb is two. This level requires you to start distinguishing between these grammatical roles. You might also hear about a 'blowout' at a hair salon. This is a common service where they wash and dry your hair to make it look perfect.

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B2 learners need to master the nuances and more technical uses of 'blow out.' You should understand its use in financial contexts, such as 'blowing out a budget.' This means spending significantly more than planned, often in a way that seems out of control. For example, 'The marketing department blew out their budget on social media ads.' You should also be aware of the medical term 'blowout fracture,' which happens to the eye socket. While you might not use this every day, hearing it in a medical drama or reading it in a news report about an injury shouldn't confuse you. At this level, you should also be very careful with phrasal verb particles. Don't confuse 'blow out' with 'blow off' (ignoring someone) or 'blow up' (exploding). B2 is the level where precision matters. You should also understand the register. 'Blowout' in sports is somewhat informal but very common in journalism. In a formal business report, you might prefer 'significant margin' or 'budget overrun,' but in a meeting, 'blowout' is perfectly acceptable. You should also be able to use the word in the passive voice: 'The candles were blown out by the wind.' This shows a higher level of grammatical control.

At the C1 level, 'blow out' becomes a tool for sophisticated description and metaphor. You should be able to use it to describe the sudden failure of complex systems. For example, 'The economic bubble blew out, leaving investors with nothing.' Here, it suggests a combination of a tire bursting and a candle being extinguished—a sudden, forceful end to a period of growth. You should also understand the term in the oil and gas industry. A 'blowout' at a well is a major disaster. Being able to discuss the 'Deepwater Horizon blowout' involves understanding the technical, environmental, and legal implications of the word. C1 learners should also recognize the subtle social meanings. To 'blow someone out' can mean to defeat them in an argument or a competition so thoroughly that they have no response. It carries a sense of total dominance. You should also be aware of the 'blowout' in hair styling as a cultural phenomenon, representing a specific type of middle-to-upper-class grooming routine. Your use of the word should be fluid, moving between literal, mechanical, and metaphorical meanings without hesitation. You should also be able to analyze the word's etymology and how its meaning has evolved from a simple physical act to a complex term used in engineering and economics.

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For C2 mastery, 'blow out' is understood in all its idiomatic and technical glory. You recognize it in literature where it might be used to describe the sudden end of a life or a dream ('His life was blown out like a candle in the storm'). You are aware of the 'Blowout Preventer' in subsea engineering and can discuss its failure in technical detail. You understand the nuances of 'blowout' in political science, where it refers to a realignment of the electorate, not just a single large win. You can use the term in high-level financial analysis to describe a 'blowout quarter,' where a company's earnings far exceed even the most optimistic analyst expectations. At this level, you also appreciate the phonological aspects—how the stress shifts between the verb and the noun and how it affects the rhythm of a sentence. You can use 'blow out' in complex grammatical structures, such as 'Having had the candles blown out by the draft, she struggled to find her matches in the dark.' Your understanding is not just about the definition, but about the 'feel' of the word—its energy, its suddenness, and its power. You can distinguish between a 'blowout' and a 'landslide' in politics, or a 'rout' and a 'blowout' in sports, choosing the word that perfectly fits the specific intensity of the situation.

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Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

blowout en 30 secondes

To extinguish a flame with air.
A sudden bursting of a vehicle's tire.
A victory by a very large margin.
To exceed a budget or limit significantly.

The phrasal verb 'blow out' and its associated noun form 'blowout' represent a fascinating intersection of physical action, mechanical failure, and competitive dominance. At its most fundamental level, to blow out something is to extinguish a flame using a stream of air, typically from the human mouth. This is a universal human experience, most notably observed during birthday celebrations when a person blows out candles on a cake. However, the term expands significantly beyond this simple physical act into several specialized domains. In the world of mechanics and transportation, a blowout refers to the sudden and often violent rupture of a tire while a vehicle is in motion. This occurs when the internal air pressure exceeds the structural integrity of the tire wall, often due to heat, wear, or impact. Similarly, in electrical engineering, a circuit can blow out when an excessive surge of current melts a fuse or trips a breaker, effectively 'extinguishing' the flow of electricity to prevent further damage.

Physical Action: To extinguish a flame or fire by directing a gust of air toward it, often used with candles, matches, or small pilot lights.

Beyond the physical and mechanical, 'blowout' serves as a powerful metaphor in sports and politics. When one team or candidate defeats another by a massive, lopsided margin, it is described as a blowout. This usage implies that the competition was not merely won, but that the loser was completely overwhelmed, much like a small flame being extinguished by a powerful wind. The term suggests a lack of balance and a definitive end to the contest long before the official time expires.

The birthday girl took a deep breath and managed to blow out all twenty-five candles in a single, triumphant puff of air.

In a commercial or retail context, a 'blowout sale' refers to an event where prices are slashed dramatically to clear out inventory rapidly. The imagery here suggests a forceful clearing or a sudden, explosive reduction in prices. This variety of meanings makes 'blow out' a versatile tool in the English language, capable of describing everything from a quiet moment at a party to a dangerous highway emergency or a crushing victory on the basketball court. The word carries an inherent sense of suddenness and force, whether that force is literal air, mechanical pressure, or competitive energy. It is also used in the oil and gas industry to describe an uncontrolled release of crude oil or natural gas from a well after pressure control systems fail, which is perhaps the most literal and dangerous form of a mechanical blowout.

Mechanical Failure: The sudden bursting of a tire or the failure of an electrical component due to excessive internal pressure or current.

The truck driver had to pull over immediately after his rear tire suffered a massive blowout on the interstate.

Furthermore, in fashion and hair styling, a 'blowout' refers to a technique where hair is dried with a blow dryer while being brushed to create a smooth, voluminous look. This highlights the word's flexibility across different industries.

Competitive Victory: A situation in which one person or team wins a competition by a very large and decisive margin.

The championship game turned into a total blowout, with the home team winning by forty points.

If you don't turn off the space heater, you might blow out a fuse in this old house.

Using 'blow out' correctly requires an understanding of its grammatical status as a phrasal verb. As a phrasal verb, it is 'separable,' meaning that the object of the sentence can be placed either after the entire verb or between the two parts of the verb. For example, you can say 'She blew out the candles' or 'She blew the candles out.' Both are grammatically correct and frequently used in everyday English. However, if you use a pronoun as the object, it must go between the verb and the particle: 'She blew them out' is correct, while 'She blew out them' is incorrect. This rule is vital for learners to master to sound natural.

Separable Phrasal Verb: The ability to place the direct object between 'blow' and 'out'. Correct: 'Blow the match out.' Incorrect: 'Blow out it.'

When using the term to describe a mechanical failure like a tire, it is often used intransitively (without an object) or as a noun. For instance, 'The tire blew out' describes the event happening to the tire itself. If you use it as a noun, 'The blowout caused the car to skid,' the word functions as the subject or object of the sentence. In sports contexts, the verb form is often transitive: 'The Warriors blew out the Lakers last night,' meaning they defeated them by a large margin. It is important to distinguish this from 'blow up,' which means to explode or to enlarge a photo. If you say 'The team blew up,' it might mean they lost their temper or were literal victims of an explosion, whereas 'The team blew out the competition' means they won handily.

After the wind picked up, it managed to blow out the lanterns hanging on the porch.

In the context of spending or budgeting, 'blow out' can mean to exceed a budget significantly. 'We blew out our travel budget in the first week of the trip.' This implies a lack of control and a sudden, large expenditure. In medical terminology, specifically in ophthalmology, a 'blowout fracture' is a fracture of the walls or floor of the orbit (the eye socket). This occurs when a sudden increase in intraorbital pressure, such as from a punch or a baseball hitting the eye, causes the thin bones of the socket to 'blow out' into the adjacent sinuses. This is a highly specific, technical usage but follows the same logic of internal pressure causing an outward failure.

Financial Context: To spend much more money than was originally planned or allotted in a budget.

The construction project is likely to blow out the original cost estimates by nearly twenty percent.

Don't blow out your knee by trying to lift that heavy weight without proper form.

Medical/Injury: A severe injury to a joint or bone caused by sudden, intense pressure or force.

The athlete's career was put on hold after he blew out his ACL during the final game of the season.

You will encounter 'blow out' in a wide variety of social and professional settings. In a domestic setting, it is most common during celebrations. 'Make a wish and blow out the candles!' is a phrase heard in millions of households globally. In this context, it is associated with joy, milestones, and tradition. Conversely, in a professional automotive or trucking environment, hearing 'blowout' usually signals a crisis. Truckers use citizen band (CB) radios or mobile apps to warn others: 'Watch out, there's a tire blowout at mile marker 42.' Here, the word is synonymous with danger and road debris.

Sports Broadcasting: Commentators use the term to describe games that lack competitive tension because one team is so much better than the other.

If you listen to sports talk radio or watch ESPN, 'blowout' is a staple of the vocabulary. Analysts might say, 'I expected a close game, but it turned into a complete blowout by the second half.' It is used to critique the performance of the losing team or praise the dominance of the winner. In the fashion world, particularly in urban areas like New York or Los Angeles, 'blowout bars' are businesses dedicated solely to washing and drying hair. You might hear someone say, 'I'm going to get a blowout before the wedding.' This usage is purely aesthetic and lacks the negative or violent connotations of the mechanical or sports usages.

The news anchor reported that the incumbent governor won in a blowout election, securing over sixty percent of the vote.

In industrial sectors, specifically oil drilling, a 'blowout' is a catastrophic event. The 'Deepwater Horizon' disaster is frequently described as a 'well blowout.' In this context, the word is heavy with environmental and safety implications. Engineers and safety inspectors use the term 'Blowout Preventer' (BOP) to describe the massive valve system designed to seal a well and prevent such disasters. This highlights the word's importance in high-stakes engineering.

Industrial Safety: An uncontrolled release of fluids from a well, often leading to fire or environmental damage.

The oil company was fined millions after a blowout in the Gulf caused an extensive spill.

I need to stop by the salon for a quick blowout before my job interview this afternoon.

Social/Slang: A large, extravagant party or social gathering, often involving many people and lots of food or drink.

They decided to throw a huge New Year's Eve blowout at their new penthouse apartment.

One of the most frequent errors learners make is confusing 'blow out' with other 'blow' phrasal verbs, particularly 'blow up.' While 'blow out' refers to extinguishing a flame or a tire bursting, 'blow up' usually means to explode (like a bomb) or to inflate (like a balloon). If you say 'I blew up the candles,' it sounds like you used dynamite on a birthday cake, which is quite a different image! Another common mistake is the incorrect placement of pronouns. As mentioned earlier, since 'blow out' is a separable phrasal verb, the pronoun must go in the middle. Saying 'I blew out it' is a hallmark of a non-native speaker; the correct form is 'I blew it out.'

Confusing Particles: Using 'up' instead of 'out'. 'Blow up' means explode; 'Blow out' means extinguish or rupture.

There is also confusion between the noun and verb forms. 'Blowout' (one word) is a noun, while 'blow out' (two words) is the verb. This is especially important in writing. For example, 'The tire blowout (noun) was scary' versus 'The tire blew out (verb) on the highway.' Mixing these up in formal writing can detract from your professional image. Additionally, some learners use 'blow out' when they mean 'turn off.' While you can blow out a candle or a gas lamp, you cannot 'blow out' an LED light or a computer. For electronic devices, use 'turn off' or 'shut down.' Using 'blow out' for a modern lightbulb sounds archaic or simply incorrect.

Wait! Don't blow out the electric lamp; just flip the switch on the wall.

In the context of sports, some might use 'blow out' to mean any win, but it specifically requires a *large* margin. Winning by one point is never a blowout. Using it for a close game would be factually incorrect in a linguistic sense. Finally, in the hair styling context, remember that 'blowout' refers to the process of drying and styling, not just drying. If you just dry your hair quickly with a towel, it's not a blowout.

Inappropriate Contexts: Using 'blow out' for electronic lights or for games that were actually very close.

The game was a nail-biter that ended in a tie, so it certainly wasn't a blowout.

I tried to blow out the flashlight, forgetting it wasn't a candle.

Grammar/Syntax: Incorrectly using 'blow out' as a single word when functioning as a verb. Always use a space for the action.

You need to blow out (verb) the candles before you leave, or there might be a fire.

Depending on the context, several words can replace 'blow out' to provide more precision or a different tone. For the literal act of putting out a fire, 'extinguish' is the formal and technical alternative. While you 'blow out' a candle at home, a firefighter 'extinguishes' a blaze. 'Snuff out' is another alternative for small flames, often used metaphorically to mean ending something abruptly, like 'snuffing out a hope.' In the context of a tire, 'burst' or 'rupture' are excellent synonyms. 'Burst' implies a sudden release of pressure, while 'rupture' sounds more technical and is often used in medical or engineering reports.

Extinguish: A formal synonym for putting out a fire. Use this in official reports or scientific contexts.

For sports and competitions, synonyms like 'trounce,' 'rout,' 'crush,' or 'annihilate' carry more emotional weight. 'Trounce' suggests a thorough beating, while 'rout' implies the losing side was forced to retreat or gave up. 'Annihilate' is hyperbole, used to emphasize the absolute destruction of the opponent's chances. If you are talking about exceeding a budget, 'overrun' is the professional term. A 'budget overrun' is the same as 'blowing out the budget,' but it is the preferred term in business meetings and accounting.

The fire department worked for hours to extinguish the forest fire caused by the lightning strike.

In the context of electrical failure, 'trip' or 'short-circuit' are more specific. A breaker 'trips,' while a wire 'short-circuits.' 'Blow out' is a more general, colloquial way to describe the result. When discussing a large party, 'extravaganza' or 'bash' are common alternatives. 'Bash' is informal and fun, while 'extravaganza' suggests something very large and perhaps a bit over-the-top.

Trounce/Rout: Specific verbs for winning by a large margin. 'Rout' often implies the loser was disorganized.

The underdog team managed to trounce the reigning champions in a shocking upset.

The pipe will rupture if the pressure isn't released immediately.

Overrun: The standard business term for spending more than the allocated budget.

The software development faced a significant budget overrun due to unexpected technical hurdles.

How Formal Is It?

Le savais-tu ?

The term 'blowout' for a sports victory didn't become popular until the mid-20th century, likely borrowing from the imagery of a tire bursting or a fuse failing under too much 'pressure' from the winning team.

Guide de prononciation

UK /bləʊ aʊt/

US /bloʊ aʊt/

In the verb 'blow out', the stress is usually equal or slightly more on 'out'. In the noun 'blowout', the primary stress is on 'blow'.

Rime avec

glow out show out throw out grow out know out flow out stow out tow out

Erreurs fréquentes

Pronouncing 'blow' like 'blue'.
Failing to link 'blow' and 'out' in natural speech.
Over-emphasizing the 't' in 'out'.
Confusing the stress between noun and verb.
Using a short 'o' sound in 'blow'.

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 3/5

The literal meaning is easy, but technical uses in engineering or finance require more context.

Écriture 4/5

Requires knowledge of phrasal verb separation rules and noun/verb spelling differences.

Expression orale 3/5

Natural usage in sports and social contexts is common but requires correct stress.

Écoute 3/5

Easily understood in context, though can be confused with 'blow up'.

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

blow out fire tire win

Apprends ensuite

extinguish rupture landslide overrun phrasal verbs

Avancé

containment integrity lopsided parity circuit breaker

Grammaire à connaître

Separable Phrasal Verbs

You can say 'blow out the match' or 'blow the match out.'

Pronoun Placement

You must say 'blow it out,' never 'blow out it.'

Irregular Past Tense

The past of 'blow' is 'blew,' not 'blowed.'

Noun vs. Verb Spelling

'Blowout' is the noun; 'blow out' is the verb.

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

'The tire blew out' (no object needed).

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Exemples par niveau

Please blow out the candle on the table.

Por favor, apaga la vela de la mesa.

Imperative form of the phrasal verb.

The wind can blow out a small fire.

El viento puede apagar un fuego pequeño.

'Can' + base form of the verb.

I blow out the match after I use it.

Apago el fósforo después de usarlo.

Present simple tense.

He wants to blow out all the candles.

Él quiere apagar todas las velas.

Infinitive after the verb 'wants'.

Did you blow out the light?

¿Apagaste la luz (de la vela)?

Past simple question with 'did'.

Don't blow out the candles yet!

¡No apagues las velas todavía!

Negative imperative.

She blows out the candle before bed.

Ella apaga la vela antes de dormir.

Third person singular 's'.

Make a wish and blow it out.

Pide un deseo y apágala.

Pronoun 'it' placed between 'blow' and 'out'.

We had a blowout sale at the store yesterday.

Tuvimos una venta de liquidación en la tienda ayer.

'Blowout' used as a compound noun/adjective.

The team won in a total blowout.

El equipo ganó en una goleada total.

Noun form 'blowout'.

I need to blow out the dust from my keyboard.

Necesito soplar el polvo de mi teclado.

Infinitive of purpose.

She blew the candles out very quickly.

Ella apagó las velas muy rápido.

Separable phrasal verb with object in the middle.

It was a 40-point blowout!

¡Fue una paliza de 40 puntos!

Noun phrase.

The storm blew out the pilot light in the heater.

La tormenta apagó la llama piloto del calentador.

Past simple 'blew out'.

I'm going to blow out the lanterns now.

Voy a apagar los faroles ahora.

'Going to' future.

They blew out the other team in the second half.

Arrasaron al otro equipo en la segunda mitad.

Transitive phrasal verb in sports context.

The car shook when the front tire blew out.

El coche tembló cuando la llanta delantera reventó.

Intransitive use of the phrasal verb.

If you plug in the heater, you might blow out a fuse.

Si conectas el calentador, podrías fundir un fusible.

Conditional sentence type 1.

The election was a blowout for the local mayor.

La elección fue una victoria aplastante para el alcalde local.

Noun 'blowout' meaning landslide victory.

She got a blowout at the hair salon for the party.

Se hizo un secado profesional en la peluquería para la fiesta.

Noun 'blowout' in a beauty context.

A tire blowout can be very dangerous on the highway.

Un reventón de llanta puede ser muy peligroso en la carretera.

Compound noun 'tire blowout'.

The wind was so strong it blew out the windows.

El viento era tan fuerte que reventó las ventanas.

Past simple 'blew out' indicating pressure failure.

We need to blow out the lines before winter starts.

Necesitamos purgar las tuberías antes de que empiece el invierno.

Technical usage meaning to clear with air.

The party was a real blowout with over a hundred guests.

La fiesta fue un verdadero fiestón con más de cien invitados.

Slang noun for a large party.

The company blew out its quarterly earnings expectations.

La empresa superó con creces sus expectativas de ganancias trimestrales.

Metaphorical use in business.

He blew out his ACL during the football match.

Se rompió el ligamento cruzado anterior durante el partido de fútbol.

Slang/Informal medical usage for a severe ligament tear.

The project's costs are starting to blow out.

Los costos del proyecto están empezando a dispararse.

Intransitive use meaning to exceed limits.

It's important to have a blowout preventer on an oil rig.

Es importante tener un preventor de reventones en una plataforma petrolera.

Technical compound noun.

The candidate's lead turned the race into a blowout.

La ventaja del candidato convirtió la carrera en una victoria aplastante.

Noun describing a non-competitive contest.

The speakers blew out because the volume was too high.

Los altavoces se fundieron porque el volumen estaba demasiado alto.

Intransitive use for equipment failure.

She decided to blow out the candles and make a silent wish.

Decidió apagar las velas y pedir un deseo en silencio.

Infinitive phrase.

The coach was worried about a blowout in the finals.

El entrenador estaba preocupado por una derrota aplastante en la final.

Noun used as the object of a preposition.

The sudden surge in demand threatened to blow out the electrical grid.

El repentino aumento de la demanda amenazaba con fundir la red eléctrica.

Technical/Metaphorical use for systemic failure.

The central bank feared the inflation figures would blow out.

El banco central temía que las cifras de inflación se dispararan.

Financial metaphor for loss of control.

A blowout fracture of the orbit requires immediate medical attention.

Una fractura por estallido de la órbita requiere atención médica inmediata.

Highly technical medical terminology.

The film's budget blew out due to extensive reshoots in London.

El presupuesto de la película se disparó debido a las extensas grabaciones adicionales en Londres.

Verb indicating financial overrun.

The sheer scale of the victory was a blowout that redefined the party.

La magnitud de la victoria fue un triunfo aplastante que redefinió al partido.

Noun used to describe a transformative event.

He suffered a blowout in his career after the scandal was revealed.

Sufrió un colapso en su carrera después de que se revelara el escándalo.

Metaphorical use for a sudden, total failure.

The engineers struggled to contain the blowout at the deep-sea well.

Los ingenieros lucharon por contener el reventón en el pozo de aguas profundas.

Industrial noun for a pressure disaster.

The high-fidelity audio system is designed not to blow out at peak levels.

El sistema de audio de alta fidelidad está diseñado para no fundirse en niveles máximos.

Infinitive with 'not' for technical specification.

The catastrophic blowout of the subprime mortgage market led to a global recession.

El catastrófico estallido del mercado de hipotecas de alto riesgo provocó una recesión mundial.

Abstract noun for systemic economic collapse.

The sheer kinetic energy of the impact caused the structural supports to blow out.

La pura energía cinética del impacto hizo que los soportes estructurales reventaran.

Causative structure with 'caused'.

Her performance was so dominant it turned the competition into a mere blowout.

Su actuación fue tan dominante que convirtió la competencia en una mera goleada.

Noun emphasizing the lack of parity.

The risk of a budget blowout is inherent in any large-scale infrastructure project.

El riesgo de un desajuste presupuestario es inherente a cualquier proyecto de infraestructura a gran escala.

Noun used in a formal, analytical context.

The poet used the image of a blown-out candle to symbolize the end of an era.

El poeta utilizó la imagen de una vela apagada para simbolizar el fin de una era.

Past participle used as an adjective ('blown-out').

The valve failed, leading to a blowout that compromised the entire vessel.

La válvula falló, provocando un reventón que comprometió a toda la embarcación.

Noun phrase in a technical narrative.

The candidate's rhetoric was designed to blow out the opposition's arguments.

La retórica del candidato fue diseñada para anular los argumentos de la oposición.

Metaphorical transitive verb for rhetorical dominance.

In the wake of the blowout, the industry faced unprecedented regulatory scrutiny.

A raíz del reventón, la industria enfrentó un escrutinio regulatorio sin precedentes.

Prepositional phrase 'in the wake of'.

Synonymes

extinguish quench rupture shatter overwhelm surpass

Antonymes

ignite kindle underperform

Collocations courantes

blow out the candles

tire blowout

blow out a fuse

blow out a knee

blow out the budget

complete blowout

blow out the competition

blow out a match

blowout sale

well blowout

Phrases Courantes

in a blowout

— Winning or losing by a very large margin.

They won the championship in a blowout.

get a blowout

— To have one's hair professionally washed and dried.

She's getting a blowout for the gala.

blowout price

— An extremely low price, usually for a quick sale.

We are offering these cars at blowout prices.

blowout fracture

— A specific medical injury to the eye socket.

The boxer suffered a blowout fracture.

blow out the pilot

— To accidentally extinguish the small flame in a gas appliance.

The draft blew out the pilot light.

blowout preventer

— A safety device used in oil drilling.

The blowout preventer failed to activate.

blow out the lines

— To clear pipes with compressed air.

Plumbers blow out the lines to prevent freezing.

blowout party

— A very large and wild celebration.

We're planning a blowout party for graduation.

blow out the brains

— A violent, vulgar slang for a headshot (rare/offensive).

The movie scene showed him blowing out the villain's brains.

blowout win

— A victory that is not at all competitive.

It was a blowout win for the home team.

Souvent confondu avec

blowout vs blow up

Means to explode or inflate, whereas 'blow out' means to extinguish or rupture.

blowout vs blow off

Means to ignore someone or release pressure, not to extinguish a flame.

blowout vs blackout

A total loss of power or consciousness, whereas 'blowout' is a specific failure or win.

Expressions idiomatiques

"blow something out of the water"

— To completely destroy or disprove something, or to perform much better than others.

Her presentation blew the competition out of the water.

informal

"blow something out of proportion"

— To treat something as more serious or important than it really is.

Don't blow this small mistake out of proportion.

neutral

"blow out the cobwebs"

— To go outside or do something active to feel more energetic and clear-headed.

A walk on the beach will blow out the cobwebs.

informal

"blow your top"

— To become very angry suddenly (related to pressure).

He blew his top when he saw the bill.

slang

"blow a gasket"

— To lose one's temper completely.

My dad blew a gasket when I dented the car.

informal

"blow off steam"

— To do something to get rid of stress or anger.

I go to the gym to blow off steam.

neutral

"blow the whistle"

— To report illegal or unethical activity.

The employee blew the whistle on the company's fraud.

neutral

"blow cold"

— To change one's mind or lose interest suddenly.

He was excited at first, but then he blew cold on the idea.

informal

"blow a chance"

— To waste an opportunity.

Don't blow your chance to get a promotion.

neutral

"blow your own trumpet"

— To boast about your own achievements.

She's always blowing her own trumpet.

informal

Facile à confondre

blowout vs blow up

Both use 'blow' and a preposition.

'Blow up' is an explosion or inflation; 'blow out' is extinguishing or a pressure failure.

The bomb blew up (exploded), but the candle blew out (extinguished).

blowout vs burn out

Both involve fire or failure.

'Burn out' is gradual exhaustion; 'blow out' is sudden and forceful.

The lightbulb burned out after a year, but the fuse blew out during the storm.

blowout vs burst

Similar to a tire blowout.

'Burst' is a general term for breaking open; 'blowout' is specific to tires or pressure systems.

The balloon burst, but the truck had a tire blowout.

blowout vs extinguish

Same meaning for fire.

'Extinguish' is formal and can include water/chemicals; 'blow out' is specifically air.

Firefighters extinguish flames; you blow out candles.

blowout vs landslide

Both mean a big win.

'Landslide' is specific to elections; 'blowout' is used for sports and general contests.

He won the election in a landslide, and the team won the game in a blowout.

Structures de phrases

Blow out the [object].

Blow out the candle.

[Subject] blew out the [object].

He blew out the match.

The [object] blew out.

The tire blew out.

It was a [adjective] blowout.

It was a huge blowout.

[Subject] blew [pronoun] out.

She blew them out.

[Subject] is going to blow out the [limit].

We are going to blow out the budget.

The risk of a [noun] blowout...

The risk of a budget blowout was high.

Having [past participle] out...

Having blown out the candles, she sat in silence.

Famille de mots

Noms

blowout (a failure or victory)

blower (a device that blows)

Verbes

blow (root)

blow out (phrasal)

Adjectifs

blown-out (extinguished or ruined)

blowout (as in blowout sale)

Apparenté

wind

breath

pressure

extinguish

burst

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Comment l'utiliser

frequency

High in sports, automotive, and domestic contexts.

Erreurs courantes

I blew out it. → I blew it out.
In English, when a phrasal verb is separable and the object is a pronoun, the pronoun must go in the middle.
The team won by a blowout score. → The team won in a blowout.
'Blowout' is already a noun that describes the situation; you don't usually need to add 'score' after it.
Don't blow out the computer. → Don't turn off the computer.
'Blow out' is only for flames or pressure failures, not for electronic devices.
The tire blowout yesterday. → The tire blew out yesterday.
'Blowout' is a noun. For the action in the past, you must use the verb form 'blew out'.
I'm going to blow up the candles. → I'm going to blow out the candles.
'Blow up' means to explode with a bomb. 'Blow out' is the correct term for extinguishing a flame.

Astuces

Separator Rule

Always put pronouns like 'it' or 'them' between 'blow' and 'out'. Practice saying 'Blow it out' until it feels natural.

Tire Safety

When writing about cars, use 'blowout' as a noun to describe the event. 'He survived a dangerous tire blowout.'

Sports Lingo

Use 'blowout' to describe a game where the score is very lopsided. It makes your sports talk sound more like a native speaker.

Verb vs. Noun

Double-check your spelling: 'blow out' (two words) for the action, 'blowout' (one word) for the thing.

Stress Patterns

When you say the noun 'blowout', emphasize the first syllable: BLOW-out. It helps people understand you're using it as a noun.

Not for Electronics

Don't tell someone to 'blow out the lights' unless they are candles. Use 'turn out' or 'switch off' for electric lights.

Injury Slang

If an athlete 'blows out' a muscle or joint, it's always serious. Don't use it for minor scratches or bruises.

Budget Warnings

In a meeting, saying 'the budget might blow out' is a strong way to warn colleagues about rising costs.

Salon Talk

If you're at a hair salon, asking for a 'blowout' will get you a wash and a professional blow-dry styling.

Out of the Water

Use the idiom 'blow it out of the water' when you want to say something was much better than everything else.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of a Birthday: You BLOW air to put the candles OUT. Think of a Basketball: The winning team BLOWS the other team OUT of the gym.

Association visuelle

Imagine a giant birthday cake on a basketball court. When the player dunks, the wind from his jump blows out all the candles. This links the party and sports meanings.

Word Web

Birthday Candle Tire Highway Sports Score Budget Money

Défi

Try to use 'blow out' in three different ways today: once for a light/fire, once for a competition, and once for a budget or price.

Origine du mot

The verb 'blow' comes from the Old English 'blāwan', meaning to blow, breathe, or puff. 'Out' comes from Old English 'ūt'. The combination 'blow out' has been used literally since the Old English period.

Sens originel : To drive air out of the mouth to extinguish a flame.

Germanic

Contexte culturel

Avoid using 'blow out' in the context of firearms or violence in professional settings as it can be graphic.

Blowing out candles is a standard birthday tradition. 'Blowout sales' are common around holidays like Black Friday.

The Deepwater Horizon blowout (2010) 'Blow-Up' (1966 film, though different meaning, often confused) NFL blowout games (e.g., Super Bowl XXIV)

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Birthday Party

Make a wish
In one breath
Don't forget the candles
Smoke in the air

Driving

Spare tire
Side of the road
Loud bang
Control the steering wheel

Sports

Lopsided score
No competition
Garbage time
Running up the score

Shopping

Inventory clearance
Everything must go
Huge discounts
Limited time

Home Maintenance

Check the fuse
Overloaded circuit
Old wiring
Flickering lights

Amorces de conversation

"Have you ever had a tire blowout while driving?"

"What's the biggest blowout win you've ever seen in sports?"

"Do you think it's rude to keep scoring in a blowout game?"

"Where is the best place to get a hair blowout in this city?"

"Did you manage to blow out all your candles last birthday?"

Sujets d'écriture

Describe a time you felt overwhelmed, like a candle being blown out.

Write about a competition you participated in that turned into a blowout.

How do you handle it when your plans or budgets blow out?

Reflect on the tradition of blowing out birthday candles in your culture.

Imagine you are a witness to a tire blowout; describe the scene.

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

It depends on the usage. As a noun (a tire blowout, a sports blowout), it is one word. As a verb (to blow out the candles), it is two words. This is a very common point of confusion.

No, 'blow out' specifically implies using air to extinguish a flame or a pressure failure. For LED lights or electronics, you should use 'turn off' or 'switch off.'

In sports slang, this means they have suffered a very serious injury, usually a torn ligament like the ACL. It implies a sudden and painful failure of the joint.

No, for a consumer, it is usually good! It means the store is offering very large discounts to sell their products quickly. For the store, it might mean they are desperate to clear space.

The imagery suggests that the winning team was so powerful they 'extinguished' the other team's chances or that the competition 'burst' under the pressure of the superior team.

The past tense is 'blew out.' For example: 'Yesterday, she blew out all the candles on her cake.' The past participle is 'blown out.'

It is a medical term for a break in the small bones around the eye. It happens when something hits the eye and the pressure 'blows out' the floor of the eye socket.

Yes, it is. You can say 'blow out the match' or 'blow the match out.' If you use 'it,' you must say 'blow it out.'

It is a dangerous and uncontrolled release of oil or gas from a well, often caused by failed pressure systems. It is a major environmental hazard.

They are very similar. A 'blowout' is a general term for a big win, while a 'rout' often implies the losing team was completely disorganized and gave up.

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Teste-toi 180 questions

writing

Write a sentence about a birthday cake using 'blow out'.

Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.

Simple future use of the phrasal verb.