detonating

present participle of detonate
as in exploding
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of detonating Brown says the firm also explored investing in an Israeli start-up developing underground munitions capable of tunneling beneath targets before detonating, but that deal ultimately fell through. Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 22 July 2026 The video shows these drones flying into the Russian positions and detonating their payloads during the assault. Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 To put it simply—detonating nuclear weapons in space can be as disastrous as detonating them on Earth. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 July 2026 Many older interceptor missiles use blast-fragmentation warheads, detonating near the incoming missile and destroying it with high-speed metal fragments. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026 With this in mind, NATO ran an exercise in June imagining drones detonating as a ship enters the port. Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 6 July 2026 Investigators found that Aliji intended to drive a Volkswagen Beetle equipped with fake police sirens and flashing blue lights toward crowds outside the venue before detonating explosives concealed inside a Red Bull can. Bryan West, USA Today, 28 May 2026 Its material originated during October 1977 sessions at Memphis’ Ardent Studios, where the original lineup — the late Lux Interior, Poison Ivy, Bryan Gregory and Nick Knox — worked with Chilton shortly before detonating the underground rock landscape. Spin Staff, SPIN, 27 May 2026 While the $25,000 charge is a monthly fee for the satellite connection provided to a satellite terminal, the terminals are being used with drones that only make one-way trips before hitting targets and detonating on impact. ArsTechnica, 26 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonating
Verb
  • Balloons float above an exploding castle, a giant peeks from behind the bushes and wizards throw flames in the foreground.
    Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 July 2026
  • Unsurprisingly, this took a few attempts to get right—resulting in three vacuum tubes exploding.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • But extraordinary pressure is building in the Middle East, and the new escalation could send oil blowing past those dubious milestones.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • Tamra is right; Shannon and some of the other cast are looking for things to get mad about, taking tiny things and blowing them up.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • Perhaps most concerningly, more than 80% of new cases are popping up outside of known contacts.
    Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 23 July 2026
  • The company’s latest filing Thursday shows more than $800 billion in purchase commitments and other obligations, an eye-popping number that reveals some sneakier expenses like some $51 billion spent backstopping other companies’ data centers.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 23 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detonating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonating. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on detonating

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster