detonation

noun

det·​o·​na·​tion ˌde-tᵊn-ˈā-shən How to pronounce detonation (audio)
ˌde-tə-ˈnā-
1
: the action or process of detonating
2
: rapid combustion in an internal combustion engine that results in knocking

Examples of detonation in a Sentence

there was a series of detonations around the base of the condemned building, causing it to come crashing down in a matter of minutes
Recent Examples on the Web
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Such language also represents the premature detonation of a rhetorical nuclear option, leaving Pritzker nowhere to go should evidence evolve to make that a fair comparison. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2025 The the driver shot themselves in the head immediately before the detonation, McMahill said. Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2025 They are ambushed by a vengeful crew and forced into bomb vests, compelled to commit a series of increasingly dangerous missions under threat of detonation. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2025 The original idea was defense following the Soviet Union’s 1949 detonation of a nuclear bomb. Bruce Finley, The Denver Post, 3 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for detonation

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of detonation was in 1686

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Cite this Entry

“Detonation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detonation. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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