How do you say “Blow something out of proportion” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is exagerar la importancia de algo, which literally means “to exaggerate the importance of something”. English speakers use blow something out of proportion to mean to make something seem much more serious or important than it is. Direct wording that works for reports as well as reactions. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
exagerar la importancia de algo
/eksaxeˈɾaɾ la impoɾˈtansja ðe ˈalɣo/
- Literal meaning
- “to exaggerate the importance of something”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
94 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
Spanish can say exactly what is exaggerated: the importance of a small event.
For a quick spoken reply, “No exageres” is more natural. The longer wording is useful when you need to identify which part of a story has been overstated.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
The newspaper blew the small argument out of proportion.
Spanish
El periódico exageró la importancia de la pequeña discusión.
English
Don't blow one late bus out of proportion.
Spanish
No exageres la importancia del retraso de un solo autobús.
Related expressions
- What “Blow something out of proportion” means in English
- Make a mountain out of a molehill, Exaggerate the importance of a small problem.
Last updated 2026-09-19