detonator
noun
det·o·na·tor
ˈde-tᵊn-ˌā-tər 
-tə-ˌnā-
: a device or small quantity of explosive used for detonating a high explosive
Examples of detonator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2019, two friends from far north suburban Zion, Edward Schimenti and Joseph Jones, were convicted of attempting to aid the Islamic State terrorist group by providing cellphones to an undercover FBI agent to be used as detonators for bombs.
—
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
At five miles down, the bomb’s fin radar system activated the detonator.
—Literary Hub, 24 July 2025
Hidden in his black high-top sneakers were plastic explosives and a makeshift detonator.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
Precision hand-work like soldering detonators, balancing rotors, and packing warheads remains hard to automate at scale without a bespoke factory line.
—Harry Law, Time, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for detonator
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Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
At five miles down, the bomb’s fin radar system activated the detonator.
—Literary Hub, 24 July 2025
Hidden in his black high-top sneakers were plastic explosives and a makeshift detonator.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
Precision hand-work like soldering detonators, balancing rotors, and packing warheads remains hard to automate at scale without a bespoke factory line.
—Harry Law, Time, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for detonator
Cite this Entry
“Detonator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detonator. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
detonator
noun
det·o·na·tor
ˈdet-ᵊn-ˌāt-ər
-ə-ˌnāt-
: a device or small quantity of explosive used for detonating another explosive
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