explosion

noun

ex·plo·sion | \ ik-ˈsplō-zhən

Definition of explosion

1 : the act or an instance of exploding injured in a laboratory explosion

2 : a large-scale, rapid, or spectacular expansion or bursting out or forth the explosion of suburbia an explosion of red hair

3 : the release of occluded breath that occurs in one kind of articulation of stop consonants

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about explosion

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Synonyms & Antonyms for explosion

Synonyms

blast, blowup, burst, bursting, detonation, eruption, outburst

Antonyms

implosion

Examples of explosion in a Sentence

The filmmakers staged the car's explosion. The island was rocked by a series of volcanic explosions. The region has experienced a population explosion. His comments prompted an explosion of laughter from the crowd.

Recent Examples on the Web

When that happens, pressure starts increasing—and an explosion is only a matter of time. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Watch Concrete Blow Up When Heated (and See Why It Happens)," 6 May 2019 The explosions hit three churches and hotels known for foreign visitors in or near the capital of Colombo. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "A Massacre of Christians," 21 Apr. 2019 During the call about 30 minutes before the explosion, the worker gives the location as the address for the building that eventually collapsed. — Jonathan Drew, The Seattle Times, "Worker calmly reveals gas leak in 911 call before blast," 12 Apr. 2019 The explosion was possibly the result of a build-up of hydrogen gas caused by the battery damage. — Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica, "Doomed Argentine sub found a year after its disappearance," 19 Nov. 2018 The first powerful explosion occurred at around 7:15 p.m. and sent a plume of smoke and flames into the air. — CBS News, "Natural gas explosions rock Madison, Wisconsin suburb, level buildings," 11 July 2018 The explosion and fire were reported around 11 a.m. Tuesday at a KMCO LLC chemical facility in Crosby, Texas, about half an hour northeast of downtown Houston and within Harris County. — Rebecca Elliott, WSJ, "One Killed in Explosion, Fire at Houston-Area Chemical Facility," 2 Apr. 2019 The living area is an explosion of dark blue fabrics, including several by the fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier for Lelievre. — Charles Curkin, ELLE Decor, "Urban Cowboy Meets Old World New York in a Textile Heir's Apartment," 25 Feb. 2019 Her closet is an explosion of tie-dye, fishnets, vegan leather, cropped denim, rainbow stripes, shimmery metallics, and an overload of glitter. — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, "Super-Hot Outfits Perfect for Your Next Concert," 28 Dec. 2018

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