1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
there's been an explosive interest in the sport since the Olympics
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
one of the most explosive storms to hit that area of the coast in some time
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explosive
Rose Evans
may 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 May 2026
The combination of Schultz and an explosive offense — featuring home runs from Murakami and Montgomery — led to a fourth straight Sox win.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026
Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
In another part of the factory, a worker used a wooden stick, like a tongue compressor at a doctor’s office, to scrape excess bits of explosive out of the grooves inside each shell, ensuring that the base would screw on smoothly.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for explosive
Adjective
Star, which straddles Ada and Canyon counties in the northern stretches of the Treasure Valley, has stood out in recent years for its explosive growth.
—Rose Evans
may 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 May 2026
The combination of Schultz and an explosive offense — featuring home runs from Murakami and Montgomery — led to a fourth straight Sox win.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026
Noun
In a 30-second video shared on social media, authorities detonate the explosive in the desert area.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
In another part of the factory, a worker used a wooden stick, like a tongue compressor at a doctor’s office, to scrape excess bits of explosive out of the grooves inside each shell, ensuring that the base would screw on smoothly.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for explosive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explosive
Adjective
-
Later, the Moon squares Mars in Aries, which can make the moment feel more intense.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
7 May 2026
-
Keep in mind that Pluto retrogrades happen every year for approximately half the year, but this particular cycle will be especially raw and intense, both at a personal and global level.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
The group above is wanted in connection with a violent robbery on board a CTA bus in Washington Park on April 9.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
-
More heavy elements, more violent eruptions.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Jimmy’s connection with Tariq, who is missing a leg due to a bomb that also scarred his mother’s face, is rooted in his brotherly love for his father Khalil, Jimmy’s translator, who was killed because of his work with the Americans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
During a search of Beran A’s property, authorities found bomb-making equipment, per the BBC.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The intensive, weeklong building sessions named after former President Jimmy Carter and his late wife Rosalynn have constructed roughly 5,000 homes in 14 countries since 1984.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
-
The others, though some needed intensive treatments, are stable, the zoo said.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The old saying that film does not lie is true here in the opening episode, as viewers get a glimpse at Williams’ basketball skills as a shooter and leaping ability as a ferocious dunker.—
Joe Davidson
May 7,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
-
In July 2023, daredevil physicists outfitted a high-altitude NASA plane with gamma-ray detectors and flew it straight over the core of some of the most ferocious storms on the planet — tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The gunner responsible for launching torpedoes had only seconds to choose the exact moment at which to fire.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
5 May 2026
-
The find brings new clarity to a tragedy that unfolded in the final weeks of World War I, when the Tampa was struck by a German torpedo and sank in a matter of minutes.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This may explain why Suzanna’s mother is a somewhat indistinct presence in the novel (at least compared with fierce Sylvie)—patient, even serene behind bars, more eager to talk about her daughter’s future than about her own future, let alone her troubled past.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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The Bloomberg-era street transformations weren’t popular at first, and pushback was fierce.—
Jonathan Timm,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Thomas Paine, released from prison and woven back into French society, wrote a long, furious letter to George Washington.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The Toronto Blue Jays erased a one-run deficit with a furious eighth inning against the Twins’ bullpen on Saturday, scoring eight earned runs before recording an out to rally for an 11-4 victory at Target Field.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explosive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explosive. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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