How do you say “Blow a fuse” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is péter un plomb, which literally means “to blow a fuse”. English speakers use blow a fuse to mean to suddenly lose your temper. A very informal French match. It can describe anger or losing control under stress, so it is slightly broader. Register: very informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
péter un plomb
/pete œ̃ plɔ̃/
- Literal meaning
- “to blow a fuse”
- Register
- very informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
92 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
This expression has the same sudden electrical image. It is familiar in conversation, but too rough for a polite complaint to a stranger.
“Se mettre en colère” is a more neutral way to say become angry. Use that if the colourful wording would make the complaint sound more aggressive.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity5 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
Dad blew a fuse when he saw the dent in his car.
French
Papa a pété un plomb en voyant la bosse sur sa voiture.
English
When the neighbours started drilling at six, I blew a fuse.
French
Quand les voisins ont commencé à percer à six heures, j'ai pété un plomb.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-10-01