detonate
verb
det·o·nate
ˈde-tᵊn-ˌāt 
ˈde-tə-ˌnāt
detonated; detonating
: to explode with sudden violence
1
: to cause to detonate
detonate a bomb
compare deflagrate
2
: to set off in a burst of activity : spark
programs that detonated controversies
Examples of detonate in a Sentence
The first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945.
the bomb detonated with a thunder that could be heard for blocks in all directions
Recent Examples on the Web
At the airport, investigators said, the bomber detonated a 20-pound explosive, probably carried in a backpack or vest, spraying 5mm ball bearings in a tremendous blast that was captured in grainy video images shown to Pentagon reporters.
—
Compiled Bydemocrat Gazette Stafffrom Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 16 Apr. 2024
Those weapons of mass destruction were detonated in 1945 over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing hundreds of thousands of Japanese citizens.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 31 Mar. 2024
Just last week, an ISIS-K suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt among Taliban militia in the Afghan city of Kandahar, inflicting dozens of casualties, according to local accounts.
—Tim Lister, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
Twenty years ago on March 11, 2004, 10 bombs detonated almost simultaneously on four commuter trains in Madrid.
—Arturo Conde, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024
When such unexploded ordnances are found, they are typically detonated on site.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024
An explosive device was detonated outside Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall's office over the weekend, as the state continues grappling with the state Supreme Court's recent ruling that frozen embryos will now legally be considered children in the state.
—Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024
If the Russian military sought to take more Ukrainian territory, Ukrainians could detonate the explosives to slow the Russian advance.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
California bank robbery:Man who threatened to detonate bomb during bank robbery killed by police
Former school bus driver told child 'elaborate lies'
Chick was formerly employed by the bus company, First Student, and was the 8-year-old's school bus driver from about June 2020 until May 2022.
—Ian Lenahan, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
Compiled Bydemocrat Gazette Stafffrom Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 16 Apr. 2024
Those weapons of mass destruction were detonated in 1945 over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing hundreds of thousands of Japanese citizens.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 31 Mar. 2024
Just last week, an ISIS-K suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt among Taliban militia in the Afghan city of Kandahar, inflicting dozens of casualties, according to local accounts.
—Tim Lister, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
Twenty years ago on March 11, 2004, 10 bombs detonated almost simultaneously on four commuter trains in Madrid.
—Arturo Conde, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024
When such unexploded ordnances are found, they are typically detonated on site.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024
An explosive device was detonated outside Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall's office over the weekend, as the state continues grappling with the state Supreme Court's recent ruling that frozen embryos will now legally be considered children in the state.
—Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024
If the Russian military sought to take more Ukrainian territory, Ukrainians could detonate the explosives to slow the Russian advance.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
California bank robbery:Man who threatened to detonate bomb during bank robbery killed by police
Former school bus driver told child 'elaborate lies'
Chick was formerly employed by the bus company, First Student, and was the 8-year-old's school bus driver from about June 2020 until May 2022.
—Ian Lenahan, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'detonate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near detonate
Cite this Entry
“Detonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detonate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
detonate
verb
det·o·nate
ˈdet-ᵊn-ˌāt
ˈdet-ə-ˌnāt
detonated; detonating
: to explode or cause to explode with sudden violence
detonation
noun
ˌdet-ᵊn-ˈā-shən
ˌdet-ə-ˈnā-
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