detonate

verb

det·​o·​nate ˈde-tᵊn-ˌāt 

ˈde-tə-ˌnāt

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

detonatable

ˈde-tᵊn-ˌā-tə-bəl 

ˈde-tə-ˌnā-

adjective

detonative

ˈde-tᵊn-ˌā-tiv 

ˈde-tə-ˌnā-

adjective

Synonyms of detonate

• explode
• blow
• pop

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

Recent Examples on the Web

On Christmas Day 2009, a passenger on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 tried to detonate explosives hidden in his underwear as the plane approached Detroit. — ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026

The tests confirmed that CycloRP could successfully detonate inside the engine. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026

Igor Kirillov, a general in charge of the Russian military’s nuclear and chemical weapons protection forces, was killed in December 2024 when an explosive device planted on a scooter was detonated near him. — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026

Officials said the explosive failed to detonate because of a faulty detonator. — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French détoner to explode, from Latin detonare to expend thunder, from de- + tonare to thunder — more at thunder entry 1

First Known Use

1729, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for detonate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

detonate

verb

det·​o·​nate ˈdet-ᵊn-ˌāt 

ˈdet-ə-ˌnāt

detonated; detonating

: to explode or cause to explode with sudden violence

detonation

ˌdet-ᵊn-ˈā-shən, 

ˌdet-ə-ˈnā-

noun