detonation

noun

det·o·na·tion | \ ˌde-tᵊn-ˈā-shən

How to pronounce detonation (audio)

, ˌde-tə-ˈnā- \

Definition of detonation

1 : the action or process of detonating

2 : rapid combustion in an internal combustion engine that results in knocking

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Synonyms & Antonyms for detonation

Synonyms

Antonyms

implosion

Examples of detonation in a Sentence

there was a series of detonations around the base of the condemned building, causing it to come crashing down in a matter of minutes

Recent Examples on the Web All that came as Jones, saddled with four fouls, cheered from the bench for every rim detonation, every hustle play, every stop. — Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, "Andrew Jones sets the tone in No. 13 Texas' win over TCU," 13 Feb. 2021 Biden praised the police officers and others who responded to the reports on Christmas morning of a suspicious vehicle, particularly the five officers who evacuated the area as a loudspeaker in the RV gave a 15-minute countdown to detonation. — Washington Post, "Investigators hunt for a motive in blast that shook Nashville," 29 Dec. 2020 At least three people were injured in an early Christmas morning RV explosion that tore through downtown Nashville that was preceded by a broadcast from the vehicle warning of an imminent detonation. — Mica Soellner, Washington Examiner, "Nashville RV explosion: Possible human remains found in vicinity, and mayor issues state of civil emergency," 25 Dec. 2020 But there’s one possible outcome Saturday that could spark the swift detonation of the four-team Playoff structure. — Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, "Opinion: If Notre Dame beats Clemson, College Football Playoff committee faces daunting decision," 15 Dec. 2020 At 250-decibels, airgun blasts are louder than the detonation of a pound of dynamite, and nearly two times as loud as the Superdome on game day. — Tristan Baurick, NOLA.com, "Trump administration allows wider use of seismic blasting in Gulf of Mexico despite harm to whales, other animals," 14 Dec. 2020 These are the most high-profile indictments in the investigation of an explosion that was believed to have been caused by the detonation of thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate, stored for years at the port of Lebanon's capital. — Tamara Qiblawi And Ghazi Balkiz, CNN, "Lebanon's prime minister charged over deadly Beirut blast," 10 Dec. 2020 Many explosives, including Torpex, require a detonation wave created by another explosive charge (such as a blasting cap) to reliably explode. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Oops! Watch This WWII Bomb Explode While Divers Attempt to Defuse It," 14 Oct. 2020 Sea mines are also difficult to detect, and the underwater explosions caused by their detonation can cause serious, sometimes fatal damage to a ship’s hull. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Ambush! The Navy’s New Hammerhead Mine is a Submarine Killer," 23 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'detonation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

20 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Detonation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detonation. Accessed 26 Feb. 2021.

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