detonatornoun [ C ]
uk/ˈdet.ən.eɪ.tər/us/ˈdet̬.ən.eɪ.t̬ɚ/a small amount of explosive in a bomb that explodes first and causes a larger explosion, or an electrical device that is used from a distance to make a bomb explode
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Exploding and erupting
- blast
- blow (sb/sth) up
- blowout
- burst
- burst in on sb/sth
- burst in/into (somewhere)
- detonate
- explosion
- explosive
- flare
- go
- go off
- go pop idiom
- go up
- ignite
- live
- pop
- set
- set sth off
- test-fire
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Detonation & bombardment
Examples from literature
- Anything made of iron and containing high explosive and detonator will be welcome.
- Having put the tail to it he inserted the detonator.
- His impulse had been to pull the detonator.
- How to handle the driver, who likely had some kind of a detonator close at hand?
- The detonator was connected with the screw top of the can.