Definition of detonationnext
as in explosion
the act or an instance of exploding there was a series of detonations around the base of the condemned building, causing it to come crashing down in a matter of minutes

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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 detonation The measure repeals provisions in Finland’s 1987 Nuclear Energy Act that banned the import, production, possession and detonation of nuclear explosives. Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026 Slow and steady The most successful transformations look less like detonations and more like construction projects—unglamorous, incremental, and mapped out well in advance. Claire Zillman, Fortune, 12 June 2026 The unexplained detonation of explosives stored by one of Myanmar’s rebel armies has killed dozens, the militia that controls the village and witnesses said Monday, as the search for survivors continued amid widespread devastation at the site. Reuters, NBC news, 1 June 2026 The fireworks find comes after a fire in a converted garage May 9 led to the detonation of pyrotechnics that reportedly blew a man’s body apart on the 2400 block of Ninth Avenue in the Jefferson Park area. City News Service, Daily News, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for detonation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonation
Noun
  • Several explosions were heard in Bampur last night around midnight local time, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency said.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • Authorities announced a blanket inspection following the May explosion, China's deadliest mining accident in years.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
Noun
  • Francesco was known to be an alchemist who experimented with chemical substances, which could explain the skin eruptions, Giuffra added.
    Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • Because of its location, Goma has been affected by eruptions of Nyiragongo.
    Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 July 2026

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“Detonation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonation. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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