DETONATING Synonyms: 21 Similar and Opposite Words

detonating

verb

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

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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 Akhtar the author, though, is conducting a stealthy psyop aimed at detonating the certainties of combatants on both sides. — Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026 Jentleson compares the power of fusing race and these questions of fairness to detonating a nuclear warhead. — Isaac Arnsdorf, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026 In a secret 1958 project, the Air Force considered detonating a nuclear bomb on the Moon. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026 McGuire also admitted to detonating the bomb in retaliation for various alleged government wrongs, including sheriff’s deputies seizing his firearms earlier that year. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Bad Company, a spy spoof starring Chris Rock and Anthony Hopkins as agents trying to stop a suitcase bomb from detonating in Manhattan, moved from Christmas to June. — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026 Bowie planned to put the bomb in a delivery bag and escape to Syria after detonating it, the complaint alleges. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026 Just weeks before her confrontation with Cunningham, Carrington sent shockwaves through the WNBA by publicly detonating her former relationship on social media. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Anvil is a smaller, faster aircraft designed to destroy hostile drones by colliding with them or detonating nearby. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonating

Verb

Han’s Sang-mi is a similarly captivating presence onscreen, a bundle of nervous energy on the brink of exploding, captured brilliantly by one of Korea’s most consistently versatile emerging talents.

— James Marsh, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Video circulating on social media showed a drone striking the bridge and exploding as vehicles crossed.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of exploding

Verb

This inspires Other Mommy to gruesomely kill Frank in front of Bela, including blowing his head up in an outrageous explosion of blood.

— William Earl, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Gray noise, per The New York Times, may sound like wind blowing or steady rainfall and works for apartment dwellers sensitive to sharp or fluctuating noises.

— Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of blowing

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detonates

detonating

detonation

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“Detonating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonating. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of detonating

verb

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