as in explosions
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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Recent Examples of detonations
Given the prospect of nuclear war, humanity’s arsenal could indeed wipe out every living human on Earth from detonations and the ensuing fallout.
—
Big Think, 4 Mar. 2026
Remote detonations are also used to trigger slides intentionally and remove risky buildup before skiers are allowed on the slopes, said Chris Lundy, an avalanche specialist with the National Avalanche Center.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
His public address envisioned a future filled with waves of nuclear arms buildups and test detonations.
—New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Ukrainian officials said powerful explosions and secondary detonations were recorded at the site, while the extent of damage was still being assessed.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Others were instant detonations.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
However, calculations on the fallout from atmospheric detonations forced scientists to rethink this.
—Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
However, there’s a palpable atmosphere of tension amidst what’s happening with these detonations.
—Keir Simmons, NBC news, 3 Jan. 2026
Silva saw two fires on the runway that were quickly put out, and reported hearing similar detonations and planes flying low over Caracas for at least an hour.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 3 Jan. 2026
Big Think, 4 Mar. 2026
Remote detonations are also used to trigger slides intentionally and remove risky buildup before skiers are allowed on the slopes, said Chris Lundy, an avalanche specialist with the National Avalanche Center.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
His public address envisioned a future filled with waves of nuclear arms buildups and test detonations.
—New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Ukrainian officials said powerful explosions and secondary detonations were recorded at the site, while the extent of damage was still being assessed.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Others were instant detonations.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
However, calculations on the fallout from atmospheric detonations forced scientists to rethink this.
—Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
However, there’s a palpable atmosphere of tension amidst what’s happening with these detonations.
—Keir Simmons, NBC news, 3 Jan. 2026
Silva saw two fires on the runway that were quickly put out, and reported hearing similar detonations and planes flying low over Caracas for at least an hour.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 3 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonations
Noun
-
The outlet said more than 15 explosions shook Kharg Island, with the targets including air-defense systems, a naval base, an airport control tower and a helicopter hangar.—
Arsalan Shahla,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
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With a swell of applause and a burst of smoke and explosions, Fuerza closed out the night — an apt ending for a band that isn’t afraid to break the rules a little bit.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Researchers isolated phenomena including the El Niño weather phase, volcanic eruptions and solar irradiance.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
These include El Niño, volcanic eruptions and the solar cycle, which influence temperatures in the short term, masking long-term changes.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detonations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonations. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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