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 of detonation

• 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

Instead of relying entirely on a direct hit, the fire-control system calculates an appropriate detonation point based on the target’s flight path. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026

And this is where the slow-burning fuse is first lit for what will be a series of small and seismic detonations. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2026

The documentary revisits France’s first atomic bomb detonation on February 13, 1960 close to the remote town of Reggane in the heart of the Sahara Desert in Algeria, at a time when the country was still under French colonial rule. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026

Can, say, a circuit board that’s essential to one nuke survive the detonation of another, nearby nuke? — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

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