as in explodes
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 detonates
Brother Dusk detonates explosives that shatter the cryonic chamber of Cleon clones, bodies raining down in blood and glass, before plucking a single embryo from the wreckage to bait Demerzel’s deepest programming.
—
Jp Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Determined to finish the job, Dante detonates explosives on the dam itself.
—EW.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Toussaint is killed in the penultimate episode after Shagan detonates a bomb on Saskia’s computer.
—Nicole Briese, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Welcome to the Engineered Dreamscape Placemaking takes empty space and detonates it with story, spectacle and seduction.
—Bob Bonniol, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
The supernova detonates, unleashing an expanding wave of light.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2025
Jp Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Determined to finish the job, Dante detonates explosives on the dam itself.
—EW.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Toussaint is killed in the penultimate episode after Shagan detonates a bomb on Saskia’s computer.
—Nicole Briese, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Welcome to the Engineered Dreamscape Placemaking takes empty space and detonates it with story, spectacle and seduction.
—Bob Bonniol, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
The supernova detonates, unleashing an expanding wave of light.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonates
Verb
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Her scenes with Shannon as Garfield are lovely, but at another point in Death by Lightning, Gilpin's character explodes into a whole new gear, altering the course of history along the way.—
David Bianculli,
NPR,
10 Nov. 2025
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Autumn is when the park really explodes in color.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Whatever way the wind blows, that’s the way college sports go.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
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Dolphins beating themselves Mike McDaniel blows a gasket after Larry Borom commits a false start and the Dolphins miss the field goal.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pull the linguistic thread a little further, and the word pops up as a mark of frustration.—
L. Carol Ritchie,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
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Not so in Canada, as the Blackhawks star pops up in commercials pretty frequently — including a CIBC ad with none other than Connor McDavid, which seems to be running on a loop north of the border.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detonates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonates. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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