detonate
verb
det·o·nate
ˈde-tᵊn-ˌāt 
ˈde-tə-ˌnāt
detonated; detonating
: to explode with sudden violence
1
: to cause to detonate
detonate a bomb
compare deflagrate
2
: to set off in a burst of activity : spark
programs that detonated controversies
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
Advertisement Christine Adams Courtesy of Apple TV Lang gets off the train and, once at a safe distance, detonates the explosive.
—
Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Mar. 2026
Experts also reported little evidence that Iran is actively resuming its efforts to enrich uranium, let alone building a bomb-detonating mechanism.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
An Iranian drone attempted to strike a building in Dubai but failed to detonate.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Mar. 2026
One vessel west of Sharjah, UAE, was rocked by an explosion from an unknown projectile that detonated close alongside, and another tanker north of Muscat, Oman, was struck above the waterline, sparking a fire that was later brought under control, according to data.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detonate
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Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Mar. 2026
Experts also reported little evidence that Iran is actively resuming its efforts to enrich uranium, let alone building a bomb-detonating mechanism.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
An Iranian drone attempted to strike a building in Dubai but failed to detonate.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Mar. 2026
One vessel west of Sharjah, UAE, was rocked by an explosion from an unknown projectile that detonated close alongside, and another tanker north of Muscat, Oman, was struck above the waterline, sparking a fire that was later brought under control, according to data.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detonate
Cite this Entry
“Detonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detonate. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
detonate
verb
det·o·nate
ˈdet-ᵊn-ˌāt
ˈdet-ə-ˌnāt
detonated; detonating
: to explode or cause to explode with sudden violence
detonation
noun
ˌdet-ᵊn-ˈā-shən,
ˌdet-ə-ˈnā-
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