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
Explore Merriam-Webster
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 of explosion from the Web
-
Two weeks ago an explosion outside the concert of Ariana Grande killed 22 people.
-
At the topping off, a Swinerton Builders crane slowly lifted the beam to the hotel’s top floor, with its arrival punctuated by the explosion of fireworks.
-
Witnesses say gunshots and explosions have been heard at a mall, casino and hotel complex near Manila's international airport in the Philippine capital.
-
The local sheriff says at least one person is dead and more than a dozen are hurt after an explosion at a corn milling plant in central Wisconsin.
-
More than 20 people were killed in an explosion following a Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena late Monday evening.
-
A large Taliban explosion targeting an elite Afghan militia force that has worked closely with the C.I.A. killed at least a dozen people on Saturday in the eastern part of the country, officials said.
-
A woman from al-Rifai neighborhood, who fled with her daughter after their house collapsed in an explosion, said her two sisters and their families were still inside the Old City.
-
The Pentagon said the March 17 airstrike targeted a pair of militant snipers, but triggered a follow-on explosion that collapsed part of a...
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.
Origin and Etymology of explosion
Latin explosion-, explosio act of driving off by clapping, from explodere
First Known Use: 1681
EXPLOSION Defined for English Language Learners
explosion
playDefinition of explosion for English Language Learners
-
: the sudden, loud, and violent release of energy that happens when something (such as a bomb) breaks apart in a way that sends parts flying outward
-
: a sudden and very fast increase
-
: a sudden expression of some strong emotion
EXPLOSION Defined for Kids
explosion
playDefinition of explosion for Students
1 : a sudden and noisy bursting (as of a bomb) : the act of exploding
2 : a sudden outburst of feeling
Medical Dictionary
Learn More about explosion
-
See words that rhyme with explosion Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for explosion Spanish Central: Translation of explosion Nglish: Translation of explosion for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of explosion for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about explosion
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up explosion? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!