detonating

verb

present participle of detonate
as in exploding
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the bomb detonated with a thunder that could be heard for blocks in all directions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 detonating 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 Anvil is a smaller, faster aircraft designed to destroy hostile drones by colliding with them or detonating nearby. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 According to a report in German newspaper Bild, investigators believe only a technical malfunction may have prevented the device attached to the drone from detonating. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 Brown says the firm also explored investing in an Israeli start-up developing underground munitions capable of tunneling beneath targets before detonating, but that deal ultimately fell through. — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 22 July 2026 The video shows these drones flying into the Russian positions and detonating their payloads during the assault. — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 To put it simply—detonating nuclear weapons in space can be as disastrous as detonating them on Earth. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 July 2026 With this in mind, NATO ran an exercise in June imagining drones detonating as a ship enters the port. — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 6 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detonating
  1. exploding
  2. blowing
  3. popping
Verb
  • 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
Definition of exploding
Verb
  • The National Weather Service called for blowing dust early Friday evening and a 20% chance of rain on Sunday for nearby Gerlach, Nevada, a community of 58 people about 100 miles north of Reno.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Stanford won 37-27, but this was after blowing a 16-point lead.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of blowing
Verb
  • The superstar has been spotted out and about in Manhattan this week, popping up at various outdoor dining establishments.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The sporty outerwear has since become a transitional dressing essential, with plenty more affordable versions popping up from Quince, Gap, and more.
    — Jordan Julian, InStyle, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of popping

Browse Nearby Words

detonates
detonating
detonation
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Cite this Entry

“Detonating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detonating. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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