detonator

noun

det·​o·​na·​tor ˈde-tᵊn-ˌā-tər 

-tə-ˌnā-

: a device or small quantity of explosive used for detonating a high explosive

Examples of detonator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The church, too, was demolished, the priest tasked with activating the detonator. —Sebastián López Brach, The Dial, 25 Feb. 2025

Many audiences may remember him as the prisoner on the boat in The Dark Knight (2008) who tosses the detonator into the ocean. —Danny Horn, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025

Inside was a 9-volt battery connected by wires to a small liquid detonator switch attached to a block (inert) of C-4 explosive. —Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025

Pang provided the second agent with two military uniforms for Iranian operatives to wear inside the base during the attack, as well as a cellphone to test as a bomb detonator, the feds said. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for detonator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

Kids Definition

detonator

noun

det·​o·​na·​tor ˈdet-ᵊn-ˌāt-ər 

-ə-ˌnāt-

: a device or small quantity of explosive used for detonating another explosive