exploding

present participle of explode
1
as in detonating
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the building was wrecked when a powerful bomb exploded

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in shattering
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive the bomb was so powerful that it exploded windows in several neighboring buildings

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

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 exploding The cost of living for middle class families for average Americans is exploding. NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026 Octane measures how well fuel resists exploding prematurely under compression in a gasoline engine. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026 In late 2023, the exploding popularity of these drugs caused shares of medical device companies like Insulet to plummet, fueled by the narrative that GLP-1s would eliminate the need for insulin. Harvey Stober, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 Videos of Cubans exploding in anger and ranting against the government have become frequent despite the severe penalties Cuban law imposes to those who criticize the authorities. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026 Probing cosmic mysteries During its five-year mission, the telescope will enable the discovery of billions of galaxies, thousands of exploding stars called supernovas and tens of billions of stars, according to Fox. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 Medical experts say the uproar has diverted focus from an exploding public health threat. Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026 The universe is a strange place — filled with exploding stars, ancient galaxies, and unseen worlds. Joe Palca, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026 Steiner said a mass of glacial ice dropping from a great height could have felt like a bomb exploding, resulting in the chaos that followed. Sibi Arasu, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exploding
Verb
  • 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
Verb
  • Andrew Haigh is a master of restraint, a talent that he’s often weaponized against his own creations to beautiful and shattering effect.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Last year’s record-shattering monsoon season is heightening the urgency to invest in climate resilience.
    Angelica Ang, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The autumn palette here is incomparable, with maples, birches, oaks, and ash trees erupting in crimson, gold, and tawny tones.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The volcano has been erupting for days, spewing lava and ash that shut airports, disrupted nearly 3,000 flights, forced schools online and kept nearby communities on heightened alert.
    Niniek Karmini, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Chicken Salad Chick, a fast-casual chicken salad franchise that’s been popping up around the Kansas City metro, is opening another location.
    Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026
  • She's been modeling, she's been DJing, and she's been popping up at sporting events.
    Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • This would prevent cyclists from smashing into car doors opened into bike lanes, McDermott said.
    Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Boteli sealed his hat-trick at the Johan Cruyff Arena after charging down the right flank, chopping inside and smashing into the far corner on his left foot.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Traditions include blowing a ram's horn called a shofar and eating symbolic foods like apples in honey.
    Chad Murphy, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
  • If erratic winds are blowing from every direction, don’t give up.
    Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • One drone operator talks about going out for lunch or hanging out with their friends in Tel Aviv after demolishing people’s houses in Gaza from miles away.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • At Cordova Villa Elementary, construction includes demolishing the existing administration building and a classroom building.
    Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Morgan Stanley shrugged off the bubble-bursting concerns, with its Global Investment Committee reiterating a year-end S&P 500 target of 8,000 and a mid-2027 target of 8,300—bullish territory, not a bust.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
  • For a child bursting with energy, few things are more fun than hurtling through a bouncy castle, launching into the air, and ping-ponging between every surface.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Exploding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exploding. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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