explosion
/ɪkˈspləʊʒ(ə)n
/ /ɛkˈspləʊʒ(ə)n/noun
1A violent shattering or blowing apart of something, as is caused by a bomb: three explosions damaged buildings at the barracks an explosion of methane gas...
- A medic had found her on the platform near one of the commuter trains that had been ripped apart by twin bomb explosions.
- The peace in the town was shattered by the explosion, which blew out doors and windows and sprayed glass across the street.
- In the northern province, a bomb explosion damaged an oil pipeline.
Synonyms
detonation, discharge, eruption, blowing up, ignition;
bang, blast, boom, rumble, crash, crack, report, thunder, roll, clap, pop
informal wham, whump
literary fulmination
1.1 technical A violent expansion in which energy is transmitted outwards as a shock wave.The researchers also plan to measure the speed of the explosion's shock wave to get further data....
- When massive stars die, most of their energy is released as neutrinos in violent supernova explosions.
- They carry a large fraction of the kinetic energy of the explosions of very massive stars.
2A sudden outburst of something such as violent emotion, especially anger: an explosion of anger inside the factory...
- Finding oneself faced by danger, difficulties, sudden outburst or an explosion of anger, one shouldn't react quickly.
- Jason couldn't understand her sudden explosion of anger and he knew there had to be more to what was bothering her than the spider prank.
- Described as powerful, domineering and charismatic, he alternated affection with explosions of anger that terrified children and staff.
Synonyms
outburst, flare-up, blow-up, outbreak, eruption, storm, rush, spate, surge, rash, wave, access, effusion;
fit, paroxysm, spasm, attack, spell
informal paddy
rare ebullition, boutade
3A sudden increase in amount or extent: an explosion in the adder population...
- Directly, the explosion in house prices and the sustained increases in rents is driving up the cost of living and exerting pressure on pay demands.
- Improving medical technology alone has led to an explosion in the amount of treatment and surgery that's not only possible, but deemed to be necessary.
- Wine from the United States has seen a similar explosion in sales, increasing from £33.4m to almost £309m.
Synonyms
sudden increase, rapid increase, dramatic increase, mushrooming, snowballing, escalation, multiplication, burgeoning, rocketing, shooting up
Origin
Early 17th century: from Latin explosio(n-) 'scornful rejection', from the verb explodere (see explode).