Because the gas is highly explosive, it needs to be kept in high-pressure containers.explosiveex‧plo‧sive1 /ɪkˈspləʊsɪv $ -ˈsploʊ-/ ●○○ adjective 
Because the gas is highly explosive, it needs to be kept in high-pressure containers. A small explosive device (=bomb) was set off outside the UN headquarters today.2[usually before noun] relating to or like an explosion: the explosive force of volcanoes3likely to become violent or to cause feelings of violence: He’s good at defusing potentially explosive situations. the explosive issue of uncontrolled immigration4showing sudden strong or angry emotion: Both men suddenly spoke in the same explosive tone of voice.5[usually before noun] increasing suddenly or quickly in amount or number: the explosive growth of microcomputers6an explosive sound is sudden and loud—explosively adverb—explosiveness noun [uncountable]
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a man with an explosive temper
- an explosive device
- an explosive force of 15,000 tons of TNT
- an explosive sound
- Overcrowding and lack of jobs in the area have created an explosive situation.
- the explosive growth of the computer industry
- the explosive issue of abortion
- The paper's editors knew they had an explosive story.
- A similar approach has been applied to marine records of explosive eruptions in the Bay of Naples.
- And, like her father, it slipped away in one explosive moment.
- Doyle's explosive shot starred the side window.
- He was to suffer from bouts of explosive flatulence for the rest of his life.
- Jamie and Lisa would have been a far more explosive storyline.
- Pretty soon that may be an explosive error.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Because the gas is highly explosive, it needs to be kept in high-pressure containers. A small explosive device (=bomb) was set off outside the UN headquarters today. the explosive force of volcanoes He’s good at defusing potentially explosive situations.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
Because the gas is highly explosive, it needs to be kept in high-pressure containers. A small explosive device (=bomb) was set off outside the UN headquarters today. the explosive force of volcanoes He’s good at defusing potentially explosive situations.· An explosive bullet is a very unpleasant weapon.
(=very fast growth)· India and China are the developing countries with the most potential for explosive growth.
(=likely to get angry and violent very quickly)· Over the years, my sister has learned to control her fiery temper.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· It is difficult to maintain a consistent level of surgical anaesthesia with ether and it is in addition highly explosive.· Each plant handles a range of highly explosive, corrosive and toxic raw materials.
· Such testimony, unheard of in El Salvador, is potentially explosive in a state that has tried to bury its past.· Their presence in the alliance masks deep and potentially explosive differences.· Thus there was a combination of potentially explosive contributory factors.· The most potentially explosive area of contact between headquarters and the Boards was in financial control.
NOUN· If the explosive activity is more or less continuous, then clearly ash will rise continuously.· Consequently, on reaching the surface they have a comparatively low residual pressure and explosive activity is very limited.· Next, explosive activity will start, blasting ashy material in jets a couple of hundred metres above sea level.
· The tower was attached with bolts that contained small explosive charges.· At one spot the Federals succeeded in undermining the Confederate works in preparation to laying an explosive charge.· Stage separation was achieved by a small explosive charge.· But the bomb casings and high explosive charges in nuclear weapons can not withstand fire and explosive shock.· But the explosive charge was too large and the chapel was so badly damaged that it had to be pulled down.· On the planet, unaware of being watched, Ace was laying explosive charges.· So may explosive charges used to burst the warheads open.
· A small explosive device used in the booster-separation system failed to fire when Endeavour launched on 30 November last year.· There have been no additional explosive devices found nor any arrests made.· The wheel could have controlled an explosive device.· He said the equipment could be used at checkpoints to search people for explosive devices.· How could this explosive device possibly have been smuggled aboard?· He then turned away and detonated the explosive device strapped to his body.· One of the earliest explosive devices was the petard, which was a mine used to breach castle walls or gates.· They were being held without bail on suspicion of conspiracy, possession of explosive devices and burglary.
· Thus began a second period of explosive growth in Lothern.· The second major new development is the explosive growth in money market mutual funds.· Underlying these organisational changes, and more important, was an explosive growth of the whole official information-controlling and opinion-forming effort.· To be sure, the on-line travel industry is still in its infancy, but it appears poised for explosive growth.· It then entered the domestic market to begin the explosive growth towards today's production level of millions of tonnes a year.· Venture capital is investment money pooled together and poured into firms with the potential for rapid, explosive growth.· Billy Butlin became the most successful entrepreneur in this explosive growth.· But the prevailing wisdom in the industry is that the market is doubling each year as the Internet continues its explosive growth.
· Despite all this, the election turned into a referendum on two explosive issues.· Henry Hyde, R-Ill., who is platform committee chairman, is still hoping to defuse the explosive issue.
· It's also your responsibility to strip beds and arrange for the disposal of inflammable or explosive materials.· But agents found a live bomb, a partial bomb and explosive materials, court documents show.· Some speculative future applications of explosive materials in the space programme conclude the scientific presentations.· Traceable tags for explosive material will only be studied, not used.
· He determined that the most explosive mixture of the purified methane and air was in the ratio of 1:8.· The pillars of coal left behind were compressed, releasing large amounts of an explosive mixture of air and methane called firedamp.· His mood was an explosive mixture of maudlin self-pity and forced gaiety, the latter predominating as he got drunker.
· In the twentieth century alone, tens of megatons of explosive power have been liberated in the atmosphere by cosmic impacts.· Ofahengaue gives All Black Bernie McCahill a taste of the explosive power that has captivated league clubs.· Their explosive power is slightly less than that of an iron of the same size because they are less dense than iron.· He seizes eagerly on opportunities to put the ball away with explosive power.· The twenty kilotons of explosive power poured out upon Hiroshima killed at least seventy thousand people.
· The idea was so successful in defusing the explosive situation that the meetings continued to be held at six-monthly intervals.
WORD FAMILYadjectiveexplodingexplosiveexplodedunexplodednounexplosionexplosiveverbexplodeadverbexplosively
1able or likely to explode: Because the gas is highly explosive, it needs to be kept in high-pressure containers. A small explosive device (=bomb) was set off outside the UN headquarters today.2[usually before noun] relating to or like an explosion: the explosive force of volcanoes3likely to become violent or to cause feelings of violence: He’s good at defusing potentially explosive situations. the explosive issue of uncontrolled immigration4showing sudden strong or angry emotion: Both men suddenly spoke in the same explosive tone of voice.5[usually before noun] increasing suddenly or quickly in amount or number: the explosive growth of microcomputers6an explosive sound is sudden and loud—explosively adverb—explosiveness noun [uncountable]