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
Fifteen seconds later, the driver detonated the vehicle, killing himself from inside and injuring seven people.
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Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Jan. 2025
In science fiction, antimatter is typically written as an unrivaled power source, driving starships and detonating as bombs.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 25 Dec. 2024
They aren’t just generated by solar activity; human attackers could also generate EMPs, for example by detonating a nuclear weapon high in the atmosphere.
—IEEE Spectrum, 23 Dec. 2024
Some Trump loyalists see the debt ceiling as a ticking time bomb, set to detonate in the middle of Trump's first year.
—Hans Nichols, Axios, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for detonate 
Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Jan. 2025
In science fiction, antimatter is typically written as an unrivaled power source, driving starships and detonating as bombs.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 25 Dec. 2024
They aren’t just generated by solar activity; human attackers could also generate EMPs, for example by detonating a nuclear weapon high in the atmosphere.
—IEEE Spectrum, 23 Dec. 2024
Some Trump loyalists see the debt ceiling as a ticking time bomb, set to detonate in the middle of Trump's first year.
—Hans Nichols, Axios, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for detonate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonate
Verb
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Palm trees caught on fire around them, exploding into columns of flames and showering the earth with sparks.Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
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At age 25, Bobby Dalbec exploded into the consciousness of Boston Red Sox fans in the second half of 2021.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Credit them with winning 10 games although losing three of their last four and blowing a chance to win the ACC championship and get into the playoff put a huge damper on the season.Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025
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Chalamet stars in the Bob Dylan biopic and does his own singing, guitar playing, and harmonica blowing and sucking.Tony Maglio, IndieWire, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Hillary Clinton popped with patriotic pride in a fiery red pantsuit on Saturday at the White House, where she was bestowed with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.WWD Staff, WWD, 4 Jan. 2025
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Calais Campbell popped up on the Dolphins’ injury report on Friday with a neck issue that has left him questionable for Sunday’s game at the Jets, but the Dolphins opted not to elevate another defensive lineman.Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 4 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near detonate
Cite this Entry
“Detonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonate. Accessed 16 Jan. 2025.
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