detonate

[det-n-eyt]

verb (used without object)

detonated, detonating 

1. to explode with suddenness and violence.

verb (used with object)

detonated, detonating 

1. to cause (something explosive) to explode.

detonate

/ ˈdɛtəˌneɪt /

verb

1. to cause (a bomb, mine, etc) to explode or (of a bomb, mine, etc) to explode; set off or be set off

Other Word Forms

• detonable adjective
• detonatable adjective
• detonability noun
• detonatability noun
• nondetonating adjective
• undetonated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of detonate¹

1720–30; < Latin dētonātus thundered forth (past participle of dētonāre ), equivalent to dē- de- + ton ( āre ) to thunder + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of detonate¹

C18: from Latin dētonāre to thunder down, from _de- + tonāre to _thunder

Example Sentences

They are being driven to Hamas positions and detonated, according to Israeli media.

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The FBI felt it had enough intelligence to suggest Mr San Diego was its prime suspect and thought it was him that planted the devices that detonated a month apart.

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The drone detonated when it fell and damaged a transformer, but radiation levels were normal and there were no casualties, a post from the plant's account on messaging app Telegram said.

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The very next day, in fact, the American newspaper PM, based in New York, ran an article speculating on the catastrophic consequences of an atomic bomb detonating in the heart of that very city.

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It's been 80 years since the United States detonated 'Little Boy', humanity's first-ever atomic bomb, over the centre of Hiroshima, instantly killing some 70,000 people.

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Related Words

• blast 
• blow up 
• burst 
• explode