Thesaurus results for EXPLOSION

explosion

noun

ik-ˈsplō-zhən

Definition of explosion

as in eruption

the act or an instance of exploding the explosion of the first atomic bomb at Hiroshima

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in burst

a sudden intense expression of strong feeling the explosion of patriotic feeling that the country experienced after that momentous event

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in scene

an outburst or display of excited anger the tennis player's expletive-enriched explosions on the court tested the patience of officials

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 explosion Butterflies and bees may not be the only ones enjoying the explosion of coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) in the garden. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026 If the gas nozzle became clogged or leaked, pockets of concentrated acetylene could build up and ignite, causing localized explosions. — Matthew MacConnell, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026 Since ChatGPT’s emergence, Oppenheimer noted, the explosion in capex among the hyperscalers has increasingly eroded their premium cash flows, forcing them to turn to debt and equity markets for funding. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026 In 1983, an explosion levelled the family’s factory on Long Island, killing two people. — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for explosion

Recent Examples of Synonyms for explosion

Noun

Approximately 1,700 people have been evacuated from at least 18 communities on the slopes of Fuego, or the Volcano of Fire, after the eruption that began on Monday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
The eruption started Monday morning and had intensified by nightfall.

— CBS News, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of eruption

Noun

Protecting pilot vision A nuclear weapon produces an intense burst of thermal and visible light within fractions of a second after detonation.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026
With juicy bursts of fresh fruit, the result is deliciously smooth, custardy, and bright.

— Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of burst

Noun

Search and rescue teams dispatched a rescue boat from Surabaya to the scene, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of Buruan Sapudi island in the Sumenep regency.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
During the video, a person wearing a gorilla suit walked directly through the scene, stopped, beat their chest, and walked away.

— Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of scene

Noun

Protecting pilot vision A nuclear weapon produces an intense burst of thermal and visible light within fractions of a second after detonation.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026
Gripped by a summer of weather extremes, Romania recently shut down its sole working nuclear reactor cooled by the Danube for the first time, with Bucharest even deploying naval forces to carry out underwater detonations to improve water flow.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of detonation

Noun

The McKinney City Council voted late Wednesday night to approve a site plan for a new mosque after a marathon meeting marked by outbursts and hours of public comment.

— Trevor Sochocki, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
His wife, Liz (Evan Rachel Wood), is a sneak preview of Debbie’s future, self-medicating with drugs, alcohol, and wrathful outbursts.

— Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of outburst

Noun

The blazes had collectively charred some 8,000 acres Monday afternoon with 0% containment.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles last fall sued SoCal Edison alleging the company’s negligence caused the Eaton Fire and another blaze, seeking to recover tens of millions of dollars in damage to thousands of acres of Angeles National Forest Land.

— Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of blaze

Noun

And getting the high-speed, maneuverable missiles closer to their targets strains adversary reaction time.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Beyond the audience reaction in Sundance, Wilde questioned the fact that comedy as a genre had come disconnected from cinema audiences.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of reaction

Browse Nearby Words

exploring

explosion

explosions

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Explosion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explosion. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of explosion

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on explosion

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

anecdote

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes