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
An artillery round fired over Interstate 5 at Sunday’s live-fire demonstration at Camp Pendleton prematurely detonated, striking and damaging a California Highway Patrol vehicle that was part of Vice President JD Vance’s detail, the CHP said Sunday.
—
Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025
An artillery shell fired as part of the Marine Corps’ 250-year anniversary celebrations prematurely detonated over Interstate 5 in California Saturday, striking a patrol vehicle with shrapnel, according to the California Highway Patrol.
—Susannah Cullinane, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2025
Two months later, on February 26, 1993, al-Qaeda detonated a truck bomb beneath the World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than a thousand.
—Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025
Members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad were then called to the scene and were able to successfully locate and detonate the incendiary devices without any further incident.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detonate
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Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025
An artillery shell fired as part of the Marine Corps’ 250-year anniversary celebrations prematurely detonated over Interstate 5 in California Saturday, striking a patrol vehicle with shrapnel, according to the California Highway Patrol.
—Susannah Cullinane, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2025
Two months later, on February 26, 1993, al-Qaeda detonated a truck bomb beneath the World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than a thousand.
—Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025
Members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad were then called to the scene and were able to successfully locate and detonate the incendiary devices without any further incident.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detonate
Cite this Entry
“Detonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detonate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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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