Detonate
verb
To cause to explode or burst with a lot of energy.
The bomb was set to detonate at noon.
Often appears as...
- detonate a bomb
- detonate explosively
verb
To explode or blow up by itself.
The old munitions detonated unexpectedly.
Often appears as...
- detonate unexpectedly
- detonate on impact
verb
In science, to undergo a fast nuclear reaction that releases a lot of energy.
The stars detonate in a thermonuclear explosion.
Often appears as...
- detonate thermonuclearly
- detonate in a chain reaction
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To cause to explode or burst with a lot of energy.
The bomb was set to detonate at noon.
Often appears as...
- detonate a bomb
- detonate explosively
verb
To explode or blow up by itself.
The old munitions detonated unexpectedly.
Often appears as...
- detonate unexpectedly
- detonate on impact
verb
In science, to undergo a fast nuclear reaction that releases a lot of energy.
The stars detonate in a thermonuclear explosion.
Often appears as...
- detonate thermonuclearly
- detonate in a chain reaction
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Intentional Act
Detonate often implies a deliberate action to trigger an explosion.
The demolition team successfully detonated the old building.
Pro Tip 2/3High Energy
The word emphasizes a powerful, energetic release, not a small pop.
The fireworks are designed to detonate with a brilliant display.
Pro Tip 3/3Sudden Event
Detonating suggests a rapid, often unexpected occurrence.
An accident at the site caused the chemicals to detonate.
Pro Tip 1/3Intentional Act
Detonate often implies a deliberate action to trigger an explosion.
The demolition team successfully detonated the old building.
Pro Tip 2/3High Energy
The word emphasizes a powerful, energetic release, not a small pop.
The fireworks are designed to detonate with a brilliant display.
Pro Tip 3/3Sudden Event
Detonating suggests a rapid, often unexpected occurrence.
An accident at the site caused the chemicals to detonate.
Pro Tip 1/3Intentional Act
Detonate often implies a deliberate action to trigger an explosion.
The demolition team successfully detonated the old building.
Pro Tip 2/3High Energy
The word emphasizes a powerful, energetic release, not a small pop.
The fireworks are designed to detonate with a brilliant display.
Pro Tip 3/3Sudden Event
Detonating suggests a rapid, often unexpected occurrence.
An accident at the site caused the chemicals to detonate.
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Video examples
My journey from Marine...
I joined the Marine Corps and loved it. I loved being a Marine. It's one of the things I'm most proud of having done in my life. Firing weapons was cool, driving and detonating expensive things was great. But I found I loved the Marine Corps the most for the thing I was looking for the least when I joined, which was the
Video examples
It's time to reclaim...
have been on the increase all over the world. But we don't even need the studies to prove it, because I ask you, how many of us are surprised today when we hear the stories of a bombing or a shooting, when we later find out that the last word that was uttered before the trigger is pulled or the bomb is detonated
Video examples
How civilization could...
That maybe by baking sand in the microwave oven or something like that you could have created a nuclear detonation. So we know that that's physically impossible. But before you did the relevant physics how could you have known how it would turn out? Although, couldn't you argue that for life to evolve on Earth
Video examples
Alex Wissner-Gross: A...
a collision course with the Earth that otherwise would have collided mysteriously get deflected or they detonate before they can hit the Earth. Now of course, as earthlings, we know the reason would be that we're trying to save ourselves. We're trying to prevent an impact.
Video examples
What happens when our...
This can happen, and the outcome could be very good for humanity. But it doesn't happen automatically. The initial conditions for the intelligence explosion might need to be set up in just the right way if we are to have a controlled detonation.
Video examples
Can you survive nuclear...
The full scope of a nuclear detonation is almost unimaginable. Hopefully, no one will ever experience another of these catastrophic incidents. But there is a scientifically supported plan of action that could save hundreds of thousands of lives
Video examples
Grand Canyon Adventure:...
and detonate, creating a giant cloud of vaporized ice crystals which hurdles towards you at about a hundred miles an hour. Now, at this point, I'm on the left side of this photograph running for my life-- And this other guy with us
Video examples
Explosive 9/11 Claims PIPE...
and you get a stream of liquid copper and this jet of copper will cut through steel no matter what the exact shape of the charge they all will react the same cutting steel when detonated now personnel clear and the demolition team
Video examples
How DARPA is creating...
small enough that first responders can carry it everywhere creating a city scale network so that they can detect nuclear materials before a terrorist detonates a bomb these are just a few things
Video examples
This Season On MARS -...
final prep before detonation go will we make mistakes on Mars yes I came here to find life not at the expense of it a small price to pay
Video examples
My journey from Marine...
I joined the Marine Corps and loved it. I loved being a Marine. It's one of the things I'm most proud of having done in my life. Firing weapons was cool, driving and detonating expensive things was great. But I found I loved the Marine Corps the most for the thing I was looking for the least when I joined, which was the
Video examples
It's time to reclaim...
have been on the increase all over the world. But we don't even need the studies to prove it, because I ask you, how many of us are surprised today when we hear the stories of a bombing or a shooting, when we later find out that the last word that was uttered before the trigger is pulled or the bomb is detonated
Video examples
How civilization could...
That maybe by baking sand in the microwave oven or something like that you could have created a nuclear detonation. So we know that that's physically impossible. But before you did the relevant physics how could you have known how it would turn out? Although, couldn't you argue that for life to evolve on Earth
Video examples
Alex Wissner-Gross: A...
a collision course with the Earth that otherwise would have collided mysteriously get deflected or they detonate before they can hit the Earth. Now of course, as earthlings, we know the reason would be that we're trying to save ourselves. We're trying to prevent an impact.
Video examples
What happens when our...
This can happen, and the outcome could be very good for humanity. But it doesn't happen automatically. The initial conditions for the intelligence explosion might need to be set up in just the right way if we are to have a controlled detonation.
Video examples
Can you survive nuclear...
The full scope of a nuclear detonation is almost unimaginable. Hopefully, no one will ever experience another of these catastrophic incidents. But there is a scientifically supported plan of action that could save hundreds of thousands of lives
Video examples
Grand Canyon Adventure:...
and detonate, creating a giant cloud of vaporized ice crystals which hurdles towards you at about a hundred miles an hour. Now, at this point, I'm on the left side of this photograph running for my life-- And this other guy with us
Video examples
Explosive 9/11 Claims PIPE...
and you get a stream of liquid copper and this jet of copper will cut through steel no matter what the exact shape of the charge they all will react the same cutting steel when detonated now personnel clear and the demolition team
Video examples
How DARPA is creating...
small enough that first responders can carry it everywhere creating a city scale network so that they can detect nuclear materials before a terrorist detonates a bomb these are just a few things
Video examples
This Season On MARS -...
final prep before detonation go will we make mistakes on Mars yes I came here to find life not at the expense of it a small price to pay
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Phil Gingrey
American Politician
For the life of me, I can't understand why BP couldn't go in at the ocean floor, maybe 10 feet lateral to the - around the periphery, drill a few holes, and put a little ammonium nitrate, some dynamite, in those holes and detonate that dynamite and seal that - seal that leak. And seal it permanently.
Quote examples
Owen Jones
British Journalist
Grief is like wandering through a minefield, as my mother puts it: however carefully you tread, a sudden detonation can happen out of nowhere. A song played in a supermarket; an overheard phrase; someone in the distance who your mind cruelly suggests is your loved one for a fleeting moment.
Quote examples
Tom Waits
American Musician
The sight of the first woman in the minimal two-piece was as explosive as the detonation of the atomic bomb by the U.S. at Bikini Island in the Marshall Isles, hence the naming of the bikini.
Quote examples
Jacob Weisberg
American Journalist
Politicians try to make friends, build constituencies, and avoid gaffes. Trump does the opposite, seeking out land mines in order to detonate them.
Quote examples
Barbara Kruger
American Artist
I think what I'm trying to do is create moments of recognition. To try to detonate some kind of feeling or understanding of lived experience.
Quote examples
Rush Limbaugh
American Entertainer
I never turn on the news over the weekend, short of a nuclear detonation somewhere. I just don't. I don't learn anything from it anymore.
Quote examples
Enrique Pena Nieto
Mexican Statesman
Mexico urgently needs a series of structural reforms that will detonate its true economic potential and generate more public welfare.
Quote examples
John Bruton
Irish Politician
A terrorist nuclear detonation in a western city would destroy all economic confidence.
Quote examples
Selma Blair
American Actress
I don't have the pressure of being a world-famous bombshell that has detonated.
Quote examples
Jeffrey Sachs
American Economist
I think the IMF helped to detonate the Indonesian crisis.
Quote examples
Phil Gingrey
American Politician
For the life of me, I can't understand why BP couldn't go in at the ocean floor, maybe 10 feet lateral to the - around the periphery, drill a few holes, and put a little ammonium nitrate, some dynamite, in those holes and detonate that dynamite and seal that - seal that leak. And seal it permanently.
Quote examples
Owen Jones
British Journalist
Grief is like wandering through a minefield, as my mother puts it: however carefully you tread, a sudden detonation can happen out of nowhere. A song played in a supermarket; an overheard phrase; someone in the distance who your mind cruelly suggests is your loved one for a fleeting moment.
Quote examples
Tom Waits
American Musician
The sight of the first woman in the minimal two-piece was as explosive as the detonation of the atomic bomb by the U.S. at Bikini Island in the Marshall Isles, hence the naming of the bikini.
Quote examples
Jacob Weisberg
American Journalist
Politicians try to make friends, build constituencies, and avoid gaffes. Trump does the opposite, seeking out land mines in order to detonate them.
Quote examples
Barbara Kruger
American Artist
I think what I'm trying to do is create moments of recognition. To try to detonate some kind of feeling or understanding of lived experience.
Quote examples
Rush Limbaugh
American Entertainer
I never turn on the news over the weekend, short of a nuclear detonation somewhere. I just don't. I don't learn anything from it anymore.
Quote examples
Enrique Pena Nieto
Mexican Statesman
Mexico urgently needs a series of structural reforms that will detonate its true economic potential and generate more public welfare.
Quote examples
John Bruton
Irish Politician
A terrorist nuclear detonation in a western city would destroy all economic confidence.
Quote examples
Selma Blair
American Actress
I don't have the pressure of being a world-famous bombshell that has detonated.
Quote examples
Jeffrey Sachs
American Economist
I think the IMF helped to detonate the Indonesian crisis.
Example 1 of 10
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