explode

verb

ik-ˈsplōd How to pronounce explode (audio)
Definition of explodenext
1
as in to detonate
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 to shatter
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
as in to erupt
to develop suddenly and violently the mayor's latest unpopular decision caused long-suppressed resentment to explode into open anger

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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 explode The river is a dark brown snake in the distance, with patterns and colors exploding on either side. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 In Florida, where homeowners are increasingly finding floodwaters at their door, the market for these kinds of products — both off the shelf at a home improvement store and custom-built — has exploded. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 The company is also recovering from a setback in May, when one of its New Glenn rockets exploded on the launchpad. — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 Unlike previous Ship splashdowns, though, which have exploded after tipping over into the water, Ship 40 remained largely intact and afloat. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for explode
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explode
  1. detonate
  2. shatter
  3. erupt
  4. blow
  5. smash
  6. pop
  7. demolish
  8. burst
Verb
  • An operation in Kenscoff In the mists of the steep hills that ring southern Port-au-Prince, CNN saw one Task Force operation where helicopters manned by foreign contractors assaulted gang positions, and drones detonated amid the clatter of gunfire.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The police response has drawn criticism following an incident last week in which a 15-year-old boy lost his hand and part of his lower arm after picking up a police dispersal grenade that detonated during a demonstration in Lens.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of detonate
Verb
  • However, her plans are shattered when the body of a young woman is discovered in a bog, drawing Nora into a complex murder investigation alongside the local Garda team.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The story follows the transformation of Adriana (Colin), a woman shattered by a terrible murder and who discovers the strength to start over, driven by an unquenchable thirst for justice.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of shatter
Verb
  • Still, when the measles outbreak erupted, Bangladesh responded swiftly and initially seemed to be winning the battle.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Multiple people were killed and dozens more were injured when an explosion erupted at a Canadian military base, according to authorities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of erupt
Verb
  • On Saturday morning, temperatures in the fire area were in the mid-80s and winds blew at about 15 mph.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • There have been two times, and maybe three, since 2020 when Baylor should have won the game, but blew it.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • In Tirana this week, protesters smashed windows, set alight ​government buildings and clashed with police.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Federal officials maintain the immigration officers believed their lives were in danger and opened fire only after Belgal smashed his car into two government vehicles and accelerated toward them.
    — Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of smash
Verb
  • The $11 million spread is listed with Wade Weathers and Meg Kauffman at LandVest Christie’s International Real Estate and has come to market shortly after Vermont’s most expensive home popped up for sale.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Kyle Tucker popped up to center, and Teoscar Hernandez struck out on a ball off the plate by about two and a half feet.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of pop
Verb
  • For one thing, Baron Haussmann had demolished swaths of the neighborhood in the mid-eighteen-hundreds to create the Place de la République.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In the 1990s, plans to demolish the deteriorating site and replace it with an underground car park sparked fierce opposition from local residents and traders, who successfully campaigned to save it.
    — Alessia Armenise, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of demolish
Verb
  • But on Monday, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan likened many of the investors drawn to the AI boom to gamblers and questioned the economics of AI labs as Wall Street debates whether the AI bubble will burst.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Seven months after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, explosions burst through two Nord Stream gas pipelines – Russia’s controversial gas highway into Europe – in the waters between Sweden and Poland.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of burst

Browse Nearby Words

explicitness
explode
exploded
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Cite this Entry

“Explode.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explode. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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