detonation

noun

det·​o·​na·​tion ˌde-tᵊn-ˈā-shən 

ˌde-tə-ˈnā-

1

: the action or process of detonating

2

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

Synonyms

• explosion
• eruption

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

The 30,000-pound bomb consists of steel, explosive and a fuse programmed to a specific detonation time. —Arkansas Online, 27 June 2025

The 30,000-pound bomb is comprised of steel, explosive and a fuse programmed to a specific detonation time. —Staff and Wire Reports, Boston Herald, 26 June 2025

The detonations, sometimes multiple times a day for weeks in a row, clearly weren’t legal. —Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 June 2025

Israeli achievements in technical intelligence, cyberattacks, pager detonations, precision killings, mass civilian carnage, and more, may point the way to methods that will be employed by all and sundry. —Hussein Agha, Foreign Affairs, 23 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for detonation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation