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

• eruption
• detonation

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

The conflict plays out against the backdrop of stunning visuals, leaning into the film's name as the characters battle in icy blue oceans and attempt to escape fiery explosions. —Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025

There are set pieces of a scale previously unheard of for the director — explosions, car chases, bank robberies — as well as his most bankable star yet in Leonardo DiCaprio. —Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2025

An explosion is something that happens in space, and the shrapnel from that explosion would move through space. —Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 26 Sep. 2025

Then the chandelier behind was real explosions, the camera team moving the dolly in sequence with Alex [Lawther] acting in the foreground of the whole thing going off in what was essentially one or two seconds. —Leia Mendoza, Variety, 26 Sep. 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