1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
there's been an explosive interest in the sport since the Olympics
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
one of the most explosive storms to hit that area of the coast in some time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explosive
Edward Woodson, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
The Alaska Volcano Observatory's website says eruptions in 1953 and 1992 were explosive.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2025
Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 8 Mar. 2025
Those are the people responsible for staffing airports and checking to make sure passengers do not have weapons or explosives.
—arkansasonline.com, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explosive
Adjective
Once Starships start lifting off from the Kennedy Space Center, those closures will likely become longer and more frequent due to the launch vehicles’ greater size and history of explosive failures.
—Edward Woodson, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
The Alaska Volcano Observatory's website says eruptions in 1953 and 1992 were explosive.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
Nelson was charged with use of explosives or incendiary devices during a felony, criminal mischief and criminal attempt to commit a Class 3 felony, and is out of jail on a personal recognizance bond.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 8 Mar. 2025
Those are the people responsible for staffing airports and checking to make sure passengers do not have weapons or explosives.
—arkansasonline.com, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explosive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explosive
Adjective
-
Already, court challenges against the president’s latest moves are emerging, and intense mainstream media coverage has, of course, cast what he’s done in a highly negative light.—
The Editors,
National Review,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Especially in the earliest stages, when the grind will be intense. Hammond: The honeymoon period is nearly over.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The Indiana Crime Guns Task Force was signed into law in 2021 and addresses violent crime in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson and Shelby counties, according to the Indiana General Assembly’s website.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2025
-
The storm, which produced violent tornadoes, raging wildfires, and blinding dust storms, decimated homes, toppled vehicles, and left entire communities reeling from the devastation.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
To prevent roadside bomb ambushes in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Americans learned to get ahead of the problem and hunt down the men who built and distributed the bombs.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Lives lost or forever changed from combat happens to all wounded regardless of skin color, bullets and bombs are not sensitive to color of skin as is President Donald Trump. — Kenny Braitman, Frostburg Add your voice: Respond to this piece or other Sun content by submitting your own letter.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Both regions came under heavy attack during intensive Israeli air strikes.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
-
After this close encounter with intensive factory farming, the narrator vows to go vegan.—
Bartolomeo Sala,
The Dial,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Hot Spring Shark Attack is set in a small, hot spring town in Japan, where a ferocious ancient shark reawakens and terrorizes the local hot spring facilities.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Moments of ferocious, wall-of-noise intensity come interspersed with passages of beautiful calm, like vape breaks between stints inside a dungeon rave.—
Sam Davies,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The 7,800-ton, 377-foot-long Virginia-class submarine can carry 25 torpedoes and 12 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
-
The koi — each one shaped like a torpedo, at least 18 inches long and weighing around 3.5 pounds — proved trickily slippery.—
Rukmini Callimachi,
New York Times,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Monday night’s fierce winds took it down, damaging the support structures in the process.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2025
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The result captures something rarely seen in sports marketing: fierce competitors actively supporting each other’s growth.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Starting a new business is never without risk, but in the last few turbulent years of the pandemic and the ensuing turbulence, the risks have felt that much higher.—
Alison Coleman,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
The Rundown Trump's Looming War for a Key Trade Route Will Be Costly As President Donald Trump seeks to assert U.S. influence across the globe by implementing stiff tariffs and threatening to seize the Panama Canal, his first economically motivated hot war looms in the turbulent seas off Yemen.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Explosive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explosive. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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