as in to explode
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
the bomb detonated with a thunder that could be heard for blocks in all directions
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Recent Examples of detonate
Trump has declared an all-out war on globalism, detonating every one of America's trading relationships — allies and adversaries alike — by imposing the largest tariffs in nearly a century.
—
Axios, 9 Apr. 2025
Then, the supernova explosion — one with more power than a thousand trillion trillion nuclear bombs — will detonate.
—Julian Dossett, Space.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Warfare plots, in real time, a surveillance mission in Ramadi gone awry when nearby Al Qaeda insurgents detonate a series of IEDs outside a housing building which the team has taken over.
—Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025
Just before her head reached the Hot Topics table, Sara Haines reached over to help her colleague regain composure, while the Ghost actress enthusiastically hit her iconic bell to signal for further help in detonating the conversation before things moved on.
—EW.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detonate
Axios, 9 Apr. 2025
Then, the supernova explosion — one with more power than a thousand trillion trillion nuclear bombs — will detonate.
—Julian Dossett, Space.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Warfare plots, in real time, a surveillance mission in Ramadi gone awry when nearby Al Qaeda insurgents detonate a series of IEDs outside a housing building which the team has taken over.
—Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025
Just before her head reached the Hot Topics table, Sara Haines reached over to help her colleague regain composure, while the Ghost actress enthusiastically hit her iconic bell to signal for further help in detonating the conversation before things moved on.
—EW.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detonate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonate
Verb
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During the two most recent Starship launches, the vehicle's upper stage exploded over the Atlantic Ocean, showering chunks of debris across a wide stretch and creating a artificial meteor shower for people across The Bahamas and Florida's Space Coast.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
8 May 2025
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The comments exploded with anecdotes from other women in fields who have similarly faced being misidentified or overlooked due to longstanding stereotypes.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 May 2025
Verb
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However, the impending free agent had an 11.25 ERA, two losses and one blown save over 10 games entering Monday.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
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Vindman and his twin brother, Alex, both blew the whistle on Trump’s attempt to withhold military aid to Ukraine while pressuring the country’s leader to investigate the family of President Joe Biden.—
Andy Kroll,
ProPublica,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Lately the home space feels like their next frontier, with collaborations and collections popping up left and right.—
Nora Taylor,
Architectural Digest,
2 May 2025
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Billboards teasing the cover popped up around Toronto earlier this week before its eventual arrival on Friday.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonate. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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