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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Recent Examples of detonating
Two Massachusetts men have pleaded guilty to breaking into Harvard Medical School and detonating fireworks last Halloween night, a crime that caught the eye of FBI Director Kash Patel.
—
Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
And some advanced mines have counters that will let a certain number of ships pass before detonating.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026
The 40-year-old from Alabama responded emphatically, detonating the fabled right hand several times and eventually pummeling Chisora to the ground.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Named after the infamous Japanese suicide pilots of World War II, these kinds of drones can actively hunt for targets, track them, and then ram into them, detonating their explosive payloads.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
To kick-start the program, Teller wanted to create an instant harbor by burying, and then detonating, five thermonuclear bombs in an Indigenous village in coastal northwestern Alaska.
—The Conversation, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
To kick-start the program, Teller wanted to create an instant harbor by burying, and then detonating, five thermonuclear bombs in an Indigenous village in coastal northwestern Alaska.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Local reporters described a massive explosion in one such town on Wednesday, later confirmed to be part of the Israeli military’s expanding policy of detonating and leveling structures to prevent residents from returning.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
That morning, a drone crashed in the Majnoon oil field north of Basra without detonating.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
And some advanced mines have counters that will let a certain number of ships pass before detonating.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026
The 40-year-old from Alabama responded emphatically, detonating the fabled right hand several times and eventually pummeling Chisora to the ground.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Named after the infamous Japanese suicide pilots of World War II, these kinds of drones can actively hunt for targets, track them, and then ram into them, detonating their explosive payloads.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
To kick-start the program, Teller wanted to create an instant harbor by burying, and then detonating, five thermonuclear bombs in an Indigenous village in coastal northwestern Alaska.
—The Conversation, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
To kick-start the program, Teller wanted to create an instant harbor by burying, and then detonating, five thermonuclear bombs in an Indigenous village in coastal northwestern Alaska.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Local reporters described a massive explosion in one such town on Wednesday, later confirmed to be part of the Israeli military’s expanding policy of detonating and leveling structures to prevent residents from returning.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
That morning, a drone crashed in the Majnoon oil field north of Basra without detonating.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonating
Verb
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Such reactions come despite the drugs’ exploding popularity.—
Robert Abitbol,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
-
The professional game is exploding, too.—
Robin Swithinbank,
Robb Report,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The music is eclectic and often gorgeous, the emotional intensity still capable of blowing all else away.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
-
Think of the way the path smells ahead of you, think of the freedom the wind is blowing your way.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Nearly a century ago, with many Americans in the throes of the Great Depression, catfish cabins began popping up along creeks, rivers, and bayous across the center of the rural South, particularly in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana.—
Chelsea Brasted,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
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The dual eye-popping performance was a culmination of a lifetime in the event for Witt, a season of breakthroughs for Bell, and consistent camaraderie and competition between the two long jumpers.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detonating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonating. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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