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 suspect allegedly organized and carried out the detonation of at least four bombs between 14 and 27 kilograms (around 31 to 62 pounds) at a depth of 70 to 80 meters (230 feet to 263 feet) near the Danish island of Bornholm. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026 The resulting detonations will result in explosions, flashes of light and clouds of smoke visible from a distance, the Navy said. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026 The government said aspects of the drone, explosives and detonation technology were consistent with methods seen in previous Russian hybrid operations and in Moscow's war against Ukraine. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026 Chinese military scientists have already published models of such a nuclear detonation. — Jeffrey Lewis, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for detonation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonation
Noun
  • Iranian state media reported explosions being heard on the islands of Qeshm and Hengam in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, and in the nearby mainland area of Bandar Abbas.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
  • In August, 38 people were killed when a Russian drone strike on an ammunition depot near the capital triggered a large fire and multiple explosions that lasted hours in a residential area near Kyiv.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • However, eruptions and lava flows have been conspicuous by their absence.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Together, these tools offered astronomers extraordinary insights into GRBs—extremely luminous eruptions that occur in distant galaxies when massive stars explode or collide, sometimes leaving behind neutron stars or black holes.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Detonation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonation. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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