1
as in to detonate
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
the building was wrecked when a powerful bomb exploded
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shatter
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
the bomb was so powerful that it exploded windows in several neighboring buildings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to erupt
to develop suddenly and violently
the mayor's latest unpopular decision caused long-suppressed resentment to explode into open anger
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explode
The Rise and Fall of the Tween Genre In the 2000s and early 2010s, shows centered on middle school and high school life—albeit with escapist storylines—exploded in popularity.
—
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Tennessee's public virtual schools have exploded in numbers over the last several years, rising from a few thousand students in 2019 to more than 15,000 in 2024.
—Nashville Tennessean, 24 Sep. 2025
The aforementioned spicy-sweet flavor has exploded in popularity, with #HotHoney racking up more than 100 million views on TikTok and showing up on restaurant menus across the country.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
The virtual sweepstakes games are exploding in popularity.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explode
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Tennessee's public virtual schools have exploded in numbers over the last several years, rising from a few thousand students in 2019 to more than 15,000 in 2024.
—Nashville Tennessean, 24 Sep. 2025
The aforementioned spicy-sweet flavor has exploded in popularity, with #HotHoney racking up more than 100 million views on TikTok and showing up on restaurant menus across the country.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
The virtual sweepstakes games are exploding in popularity.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explode
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explode
Verb
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Authorities determined the package was not explosive but detonated it out of an abundance of caution, a USU spokesperson told Newsweek in an email Tuesday evening.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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Still, Nevo's mind often drifts to the moment in Gaza when Palestinian militants detonated explosives in a home, wounding him and killing two close friends in his army unit.—
Daniel Estrin,
NPR,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Finally, impact strength assesses a material’s ability to absorb sudden shocks without shattering, highlighting that the hardness alone doesn’t always mean toughness.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
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Any sense of safety that once existed in the Qatari capital – a longtime haven for Hamas officials, with the tacit agreement of the US and Israel – has now been shattered.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Such disputes have been a feature of the pay-TV business for decades, and occasionally erupt into the public sphere.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
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As gunfire erupted, her sister begged her to stay inside the vehicle, but Robleto stepped out, trying to understand what was happening.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Investors seemed to be focused on the former, with the stock popping more than 4% in extended trading.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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Harry the catfish popped to the surface first, his fishy breath curling the grass along the bank.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At least four people were killed and eight injured when a gunman in a pickup truck smashed through the doors of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Michigan during a Sunday service attended by hundreds, opened fire and set the building ablaze.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
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During a two-point conversion play, Jennings caught the ball in the endzone, but was smashed between two Jaguars defenders.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Kansas football blew a fourth-quarter lead and lost to Cincinnati on Saturday.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
28 Sep. 2025
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After blowing a golden opportunity against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, the Ravens blew out the Cleveland Browns but then coughed up another statement-win opportunity against the Detroit Lions last week.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Of the 27 homes on their street in the Rollins neighborhood, 25 were either destroyed, demolished or suffered extensive damage that left them unlivable until they could be gutted and rebuilt, Heath said.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
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While the tower still exists and houses seniors, the cottages were demolished to make way for a mixed-income development.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While the first game trafficked in elegant neatness, Hades II is practically bursting at the seams with excess.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
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Video from the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel shows floodwater bursting through the closed lobby doors, quickly rising to knee height while staff shouted for guests to evacuate.—
Ronnie Li,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Explode.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explode. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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