1 B1 idiomatic informal
To impress or astonish someone very greatly.
"Her final performance blew the judges away — they gave her a standing ovation."
separable
blow away
B1 informal separable transitive
To impress someone greatly; to defeat someone decisively; or for wind to carry something away.
In plain English
To totally amaze someone, to completely beat someone, or for the wind to move something.
What does "blow away" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
Of wind: to carry something or someone away by force.
"My umbrella was blown away as soon as I stepped outside."
separable
3 B1 idiomatic informal
To defeat an opponent completely and decisively.
"They blew away the competition in the final round of the tournament."
separable
4 B2 idiomatic slang
To kill someone with a gun (informal, used in crime or action contexts).
"In the film, the villain threatens to blow away anyone who stands in his way."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
For wind to blow something so strongly that it moves away.
Actually means
To totally amaze someone, to completely beat someone, or for the wind to move something.
Usage tip
The 'impress' sense is very common in informal American and British English. The violent 'kill' sense is used in action films and crime dramas. The literal wind sense is the most physically transparent.
Words that pair with "blow away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
competition audience expectations crowd performance wind
How to conjugate "blow away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
blow away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
blows away
he/she/it
Past simple
blew away
yesterday
Past participle
blown away
have + pp
-ing form
blowing away
continuous
Hear "blow away" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "blow away" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "blow away"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
amaze astound floor outdo overwhelm stun
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.