as in exploded
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as in popped
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 detonated
Arkansas Online, 7 Feb. 2026
Ollis then moved between the insurgent and Cierpica and died when the suicide vest detonated, the military has said.
—Aaron Navarro, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
The grenades detonated on the terrace of a residential building, which was inhabited by a family with children, according to the AP.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
On Unknown Pleasures, the producer had taken Joy Division’s dense goth-punk sound into a frozen field and detonated it.
—Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
More recently, an al Qaeda operative and suspected mastermind behind the 2000 USS Cole bombing — in which suicide bombers sidled up alongside a US warship, waved to the sailors and then detonated explosives — was charged with perfidy, among other crimes.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
In December the group detonated a car bomb in a municipality located along a top cocaine-trafficking route, killing four police officers.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Since the end of the Second World War, the United States and its allies had maintained a system of humanitarian interventionism, until the President so delightedly detonated it.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
Nix quelled doubt from a rocky start with a 295-yard game in that Kansas City win, and detonated for four touchdowns against the Packers three weeks later.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
Asif said the mosque's security guards tried to intercept the suspect, who opened fire at them and then detonated his explosives among the worshippers.
—Arkansas Online, 7 Feb. 2026
Ollis then moved between the insurgent and Cierpica and died when the suicide vest detonated, the military has said.
—Aaron Navarro, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
The grenades detonated on the terrace of a residential building, which was inhabited by a family with children, according to the AP.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
On Unknown Pleasures, the producer had taken Joy Division’s dense goth-punk sound into a frozen field and detonated it.
—Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
More recently, an al Qaeda operative and suspected mastermind behind the 2000 USS Cole bombing — in which suicide bombers sidled up alongside a US warship, waved to the sailors and then detonated explosives — was charged with perfidy, among other crimes.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
In December the group detonated a car bomb in a municipality located along a top cocaine-trafficking route, killing four police officers.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Since the end of the Second World War, the United States and its allies had maintained a system of humanitarian interventionism, until the President so delightedly detonated it.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
Nix quelled doubt from a rocky start with a 295-yard game in that Kansas City win, and detonated for four touchdowns against the Packers three weeks later.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonated
Adjective
-
An exploded view shows the Orion spacecraft.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The other imaged nova, V1405 Cassiopeiae, seemed to unfold in spectacular slow motion, taking more than fifty days before finally ejecting all of its exploded material.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The tense conversation continued for several minutes before a peculiar discrepancy popped up.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoman,
10 Feb. 2026
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Cardi, who popped up for a quick cameo during Bad Bunny's Halftime Show and is about to embark on her Little Miss Drama tour, was in the Bay Area to celebrate the big game and attended a Fanatics pre-party looking like a 2000s emo girl-gone-2026.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Each earbud is made from polished aluminum and housed in a pearl-blasted charging case made from natural aluminum.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Shouldn't even be that hard to sharpen the blasted thing, let alone twist it.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Back then, the average team still featured three starters who threw enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, probably had an ace who blew past 200 innings and had multiple pitchers with double-digit wins.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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After Lathan Sommerville drew consecutive trips to the line, and no whistle blew when Dent was contacted on a drive, Cronin ran onto the court, throwing his fists in anger, and yelling at an official.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Among the damage is a smashed statue of The Virgin Mary, other religious artifacts, like the tabernacle that stores communion, and destroyed furniture.—
Michele Gile,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
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Daniel Hernandez doesn’t include tomatoes in his recipe, which means there’s no watery element to interfere with the buttery smashed avocados.—
Carolynn Carreño,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The woman suffered lacerations to her arm from shattered glass but did not require hospitalization, authorities said.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The ring allegedly exploited a large-scale humanitarian effort used to ship aid and commercial goods into the shattered enclave.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detonated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonated. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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