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
Just before noon, an archeologist located what... Posted by Vancouver Police Department on Wednesday, February 26, 2025
The teams developed a plan to safely detonate the ordnance.
—
Kerry Breen, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2025
The mine detonated, but the shrapnel missed Pavlov’s car—a good thing, in the end, Chervinsky said, because Pavlov’s wife was in the passenger seat.
—Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
President Trump's direct criticisms of Volodymyr Zelensky have detonated on Capitol Hill, where Republicans are torn between their loyalty to their president versus honoring their promises to Ukraine.
—Justin Green, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025
Those scenes where the men are detonating the explosives and people are crying — were those real tears?
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detonate
Kerry Breen, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2025
The mine detonated, but the shrapnel missed Pavlov’s car—a good thing, in the end, Chervinsky said, because Pavlov’s wife was in the passenger seat.
—Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
President Trump's direct criticisms of Volodymyr Zelensky have detonated on Capitol Hill, where Republicans are torn between their loyalty to their president versus honoring their promises to Ukraine.
—Justin Green, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025
Those scenes where the men are detonating the explosives and people are crying — were those real tears?
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detonate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonate
Verb
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As stablecoin usage explodes to 30 million monthly active addresses (a 53% increase year-over-year according to Dune Analytics) their real-world utility is becoming impossible to ignore.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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As short-term debt was refinanced at these higher rates, interest expense exploded.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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At night, after the final whistle was blown, thousands of jubilant fans poured into the streets, heading toward the city’s bars to continue the debauchery, sometimes till dawn.—
Andrew McNicol,
CNN,
22 Mar. 2025
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The thought flashed through my mind that only an idiot would blow the chance of a lifetime.—
Jim Tappan,
Outdoor Life,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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On the afternoon of March 12, a press release from the Environmental Protection Agency announcing a reconsideration of President Joe Biden’s plan to cut power plant emissions popped into journalists’ emails.—
Jan Ellen Spiegel,
Hartford Courant,
28 Mar. 2025
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The show, which has popped up around Chicago and Evanston regularly since August, offers a safe space for performers and a reminder to audiences of the power of creativity.—
Jennifer Day,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonate. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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