blow out of proportion
Make mountains, molehills
To blow something out of proportion is to treat it as more significant than it warrants, exaggerating its importance or severity: You're blowing this out of proportion—it was just a minor disagreement.
The image suggests inflating something beyond its natural size.
Often used to accuse someone of overreacting.
- make a mountain out of a molehillExaggerate trivial problems drastically
- storm in a teacupDisproportionate fuss over trifles
- hyperbolizeTo exaggerate extravagantly
- overemphasizeStress something too much
- catastrophizeMentally magnify potential disasters
overstress · amplify · go overboard · overstate · exaggerate · lay it on thick · overestimate · sensationalize · dramatize · make a big thing out of · make a scene · magnify · overreact · cry wolf · embellish · misinterpret · brag · elaborate
blow out of proportiondownplay
Diminish perceived importance
understate · minimize · play down · underplay · de-emphasize
blow out of proportionkeep calm
Remain emotionally steady
keep one's cool · stay grounded · keep a cool head · underreact · shrug it off
blow out of proportionstay calm
Remain unruffled
keep cool · let it go · roll with the punches · stay grounded
blown, blowing, blower, outing, outward, proportion, proportions, proportional, proportionally