detonate
verb
det·o·nate ˈde-tᵊn-ˌāt 
ˈde-tə-ˌnāt
detonated; detonating
intransitive verb
: to explode with sudden violence
transitive verb
1
: to cause to detonate
detonate a bomb
compare deflagrate 2
: to set off in a burst of activity : spark
programs that detonated controversies
detonatable
ˈde-tᵊn-ˌā-tə-bəl
adjective ˈde-tə-ˌnā-
detonative
ˈde-tᵊn-ˌā-tiv
adjective ˈde-tə-ˌnā-
Synonyms
- blow
- blow up
- burst
- crump
- explode
- go off
- pop
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945. the bomb detonated with a thunder that could be heard for blocks in all directions
Recent Examples on the Web There’s no question among astrophysicists that the star will eventually detonate as a supernova. 
James Riordon, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2022 Built solely to deliver and detonate a nuclear weapon near coastal cities, the resulting fallout from an irradiated seabed would be catastrophic. Craig Hooper, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 It was designed to rise 70 miles above Earth, fly across the world in 25 minutes and detonate within a few hundred yards of its target. Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2022 Salts and other metal compounds allow a firework to detonate in bursts of bright blue or rich red. Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 30 June 2022 Consider the ticking time bomb of philanthropic demise set to detonate in the coming years. Ericka Andersen, WSJ, 30 June 2022 Right when the two were getting along better than ever, here was this ticking time bomb set to detonate in Season Two and make things between them so much worse. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2022 Unlike long-range Predator drones, which look similar to small planes and fire missiles at targets, the smallest Switchblade model fits in a rucksack and flies directly into targets to detonate its small warhead. Luis Martinez, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2022 Sanderson apparently spoiled the bomber’s plan, which was, presumably, to detonate the bomb later in the day when the waiting room was full. Jerry Adler, Good Housekeeping, 14 July 2022 See More
James Riordon, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2022 Built solely to deliver and detonate a nuclear weapon near coastal cities, the resulting fallout from an irradiated seabed would be catastrophic. Craig Hooper, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 It was designed to rise 70 miles above Earth, fly across the world in 25 minutes and detonate within a few hundred yards of its target. Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2022 Salts and other metal compounds allow a firework to detonate in bursts of bright blue or rich red. Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 30 June 2022 Consider the ticking time bomb of philanthropic demise set to detonate in the coming years. Ericka Andersen, WSJ, 30 June 2022 Right when the two were getting along better than ever, here was this ticking time bomb set to detonate in Season Two and make things between them so much worse. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2022 Unlike long-range Predator drones, which look similar to small planes and fire missiles at targets, the smallest Switchblade model fits in a rucksack and flies directly into targets to detonate its small warhead. Luis Martinez, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2022 Sanderson apparently spoiled the bomber’s plan, which was, presumably, to detonate the bomb later in the day when the waiting room was full. Jerry Adler, Good Housekeeping, 14 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
French détoner to explode, from Latin detonare to expend thunder, from de- + tonare to thunder — more at thunder entry 1
First Known Use
1729, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
detonate
verb
as in to explode
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the bomb detonated with a thunder that could be heard for blocks in all directions Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- explode
- blow
- pop
- burst
- crump
- blow up
- fire
- shatter
- smash
- go off
- fragment
- splinter
- discharge
- balloon
- shoot
- mushroom
- bourgeon
- burgeon
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- implode
- collapse
- fizzle
- tip layerage
- tip layering
- tip moth
- tip of the iceberg
- tip off
- tip one's cap
- tip one's cap/hat
- tip one's hand
- tip one's hat
- tip one's mitt
- tip over
- tip sheet
- tip someone the wink
- tip speed
- tip stall
- tip table
- tip the balance
- tip the balance of power
- tip the scales
- tip the scales at
- tip the wink
- tip up
- tip worm
- tip-dye
- tip-in