EXPLOSIVELY Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

explosively

adverb

as in strongly

in a vigorous and forceful manner the racehorses explosively broke from the starting gate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 explosively Meanwhile, the eastern Pacific Ocean has been booming; thanks to the warm waters El Niño provides, Hurricane Polo explosively intensified into a Category 5 in late September before making landfall in Baja California Sur earlier this week. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Chernyshov probably won’t get PP1 time and isn’t guaranteed a top-six role, which limits how explosively his point totals could grow. — Harman Dayal, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 That’s in part because of mild weather during its first two weeks, and because much of it is burning over terrain where there have been other fires in recent years, leaving less vegetation to burn explosively now. — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 That chronology worked explosively well for those who saw Jackson’s rendition unfold at the box office. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026 When both happen simultaneously, the frontier of viable startups expands explosively. — Michael Wee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026 When two helicopters operate in close proximity, their rotors risk colliding in flight and then coming apart explosively, which would lead the aircraft to fall to the ground with the aerodynamics of a lawn dart. — Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026 The extreme temperature of a single lightning strike forces the air around it to expand explosively. — Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 16 July 2026 The number of possible configurations grows explosively large. — Quanta Magazine, 29 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for explosively

Adverb

Near the epicenter, the agency estimated an intensity of VIII, classified as severe on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, which measures how strongly the ground shakes at individual locations.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
This endeavor is not easy, and these companies are strongly advocating for abolishing the leap second.

— Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of strongly

Adverb

Deputies spoke to the male victim, who alleged the suspects forcibly entered his home with the weapon and assaulted him inside, the statement said.

— CBS News, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
They were forcibly removed by British ambassador Lord Elgin more than 200 years ago and have yet to return to their homeland.

— Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of forcibly

Adverb

Roast tofu and sweet potatoes, ruffly kale, a powerfully herby dressing.

— Emma Laperruque, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
In a powerfully compelling novel that brims with the cadences of the Black South, Jones explores the women’s diverging lives while using them as a lens to observe social injustice in language that is intimate, conversational, and musical.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of powerfully

Adverb

Dropped by his followers and shunned by his circle, Jim has only Lucien on his side, a skinny and fiercely loyal admirer.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
In Flanagan‘s take, Margaret is fiercely committed to shielding Carrie from the world’s dangers and from her classmates’ cruelty, even becoming a parental advocate in their community and on social media.

— Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of fiercely

Adverb

Tri Ocean’s customer base remains predominantly Vietnamese and Chinese, but the store increasingly attracts non-Asian shoppers searching for fresh seafood, tropical produce and hard-to-find specialty items, like authentic pho ingredients.

— Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
By Saturday night, Long Beach reported that seawater had entered homes and into streets, with the city’s Peninsula neighborhood being hard hit, and its boardwalk crumbling.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of hard

Adverb

Prosecutors said that the incidents were captured on camera — and that the parents could be seen laughing at times as their children were forcefully disciplined.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Soenen also wondered whether saying no differently or more forcefully could have prevented the assault.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of forcefully

Browse Nearby Words

explosive

explosively

explosives

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Explosively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explosively. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of explosively

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

zenith

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes