blew: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral - used in all registers from informal to formal, depending on the specific sense.
Quick answer
What does “blew” mean?
Past tense of the verb 'blow', meaning to move or create air movement, or to cause something to move with air.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Past tense of the verb 'blow', meaning to move or create air movement, or to cause something to move with air.
Can also mean: to spend money recklessly; to fail or ruin an opportunity; to leave abruptly; to expose a secret; to perform a musical instrument by forcing air through it in the past.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical. Some phrasal verbs (e.g., 'blow up') are used identically. Potential minor differences in slang connotations of 'blow' (as a noun) do not apply to the past tense 'blew'.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “blew” in a Sentence
Subject + blew + Object (He blew the whistle).Subject + blew + Adverbial (The wind blew fiercely).Subject + blew + Object + Adjective (The explosion blew the door open).Subject + blew + Object + Particle (She blew out the candles).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “blew” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The storm blew several tiles off the roof.
- He blew a fortune on that vintage motorcar.
- The whistle blew for full time.
- She blew her nose with a tissue.
American English
- The wind blew my newspaper across the yard.
- He blew all his savings on a trip to Vegas.
- The referee blew the whistle.
- She blew the dust off the old photo album.
adverb
British English
- N/A - 'blew' is not an adverb.
American English
- N/A - 'blew' is not an adverb.
adjective
British English
- N/A - 'blew' is not an adjective.
American English
- N/A - 'blew' is not an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The merger talks blew up at the last minute due to regulatory concerns."
Academic
"The researcher's findings blew apart the previously accepted theory."
Everyday
"I blew on my soup to cool it down."
Technical
"The faulty relay blew the main circuit breaker."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “blew”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “blew”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “blew”
- Using 'blowed' as the past tense (incorrect: *He blowed the whistle).
- Confusing 'blew' (past of blow) with 'blue' (colour/adjective).
- Incorrect preposition: *'blew on the whistle' instead of 'blew the whistle'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'blew' is the irregular simple past tense of the verb 'blow'. The past participle is 'blown'.
Yes, informally. 'He blew his entire salary on a new guitar' means he spent it quickly and perhaps recklessly.
They are homophones (sound the same) but have different meanings and spellings. 'Blew' is the past tense of 'blow'. 'Blue' is a colour or an adjective meaning sad.
No. The correct present perfect form uses the past participle 'blown'. The correct sentence is 'I have blown it'.
Past tense of the verb 'blow', meaning to move or create air movement, or to cause something to move with air.
Blew is usually neutral - used in all registers from informal to formal, depending on the specific sense. in register.
Blew: in British English it is pronounced /bluː/, and in American English it is pronounced /bluː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “blew a gasket (got very angry)”
- “blew hot and cold (was inconsistent)”
- “blew the lid off (exposed a scandal)”
- “blew my mind (greatly impressed)”
- “blew his top (lost his temper)”
- “blew his own trumpet (boasted)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
"The wind BLEW my new hat right off - and now it's a GONE clue!" (Associates 'blew' with the past action of 'blow' and the homophone 'blue' for the colour of the sky/wind).
Conceptual Metaphor
FAILURE/SPOILING IS BURSTING (blew the deal, blew my chances); REVELATION IS UNCOVERING BY WIND (blew the lid off, blew his cover); SPENDING MONEY IS DISSIPATING LIKE AIR (blew his savings).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The journalist blew the story wide open,' what does 'blew' mean?