explosion

noun

ex·​plo·​sion ik-ˈsplō-zhən 

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

• blast
• blowup
• burst
• bursting
• detonation
• eruption
• outburst

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

Salt Lake has had this huge explosion over the past few years. —Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2025

Since March, the southeast crater showed signs of activity with smaller explosions and moderate lava flows. —David Bressan, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025

So these quests march on even as the crack of explosions grows louder. —Carole V. Bell, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025

Impact felt across Gladstone The reverberations from the explosion were felt in the surrounding neighborhoods, too. —Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin explosion-, explosio act of driving off by clapping, from explodere

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing explosion

• population explosion

Rhymes for explosion

• corrosion
• erosion
• implosion

Kids Definition

explosion

noun

ex·​plo·​sion ik-ˈsplō-zhən 

1

: the act or an instance of exploding

2

: a violent outburst of feeling

Medical Definition

explosion

noun

ex·​plo·​sion ik-ˈsplō-zhən 

: the act or an instance of exploding