Definition of detonate
detonated
;detonating
intransitive verb
: to explode with sudden violence
transitive verb
1 : to cause to detonate detonate a bomb — compare deflagrate
2 : to set off in a burst of activity : spark programs that detonated controversies
Explore M-W
Examples of detonate in a Sentence
The first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945.
the bomb detonated with a thunder that could be heard for blocks in all directions
Origin and Etymology of detonate
French détoner to explode, from Latin detonare to expend thunder, from de- + tonare to thunder — more at 1thunder
DETONATE Defined for English Language Learners
detonate
playDefinition of detonate for English Language Learners
-
: to explode or to cause (something, such as a bomb) to explode
Learn More about detonate
-
See words that rhyme with detonate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for detonate Spanish Central: Translation of detonate Nglish: Translation of detonate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of detonate for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up detonate? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!