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
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Recent Examples of detonate
Many observers were astonished, for example, when in September, Israel simultaneously detonated thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah.
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Sarah E. Parkinson, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2024
In 1961: The Soviet Union detonated Tsar Bomba, or Big Ivan, in the Arctic Circle in a nuclear test that drew condemnation from around the world.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 30 Oct. 2024
Last year, a study published in the journal Physics of Fluids calculated where in a building might be safest to shelter in the case of a nuclear bomb being detonated nearby.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
There is no fuel to ignite, and ammunition may be nearby but not close enough to cause damage if detonated.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for detonate 
Sarah E. Parkinson, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2024
In 1961: The Soviet Union detonated Tsar Bomba, or Big Ivan, in the Arctic Circle in a nuclear test that drew condemnation from around the world.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 30 Oct. 2024
Last year, a study published in the journal Physics of Fluids calculated where in a building might be safest to shelter in the case of a nuclear bomb being detonated nearby.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
There is no fuel to ignite, and ammunition may be nearby but not close enough to cause damage if detonated.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for detonate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonate
Verb
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Less than a month after it was installed, a gas line connected to the red and green lights exploded, badly burning the traffic warden operating the signal.Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2024
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Growth in private credit assets has exploded over the past few years, and BlackRock sees this trend continuing through the rest of the decade, with traditional private credit AUM more than doubling.Jeff Marks, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Many of the winds that blow down mountain slopes in California are also named for their locale, according to Null.Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
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Your emotional endurance, positive disposition, unbelievable talent (that blows me away), undeniable humor and loving, kind heart absolutely kill me.Marina Watts, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Plus, Simba’s daughter Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) pops up looking less like a collector’s National Geographic and more like a flesh-and-blood Neopet somehow got offline.Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Dec. 2024
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Since Timothée Chalamet crashed his own lookalike contest in New York City, copycat competitions for other male stars like Paul Mescal, Dev Patel, Zayn Malik and more have popped up across the country.Brendan Le, People.com, 17 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Detonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonate. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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