explosion

American  

[ik-sploh-zhuhn] / ɪkˈsploʊ ʒən /

noun

• explosions
  plural

1. an act or instance of exploding; a violent expansion or bursting with noise, as of gunpowder or a boiler (opposed to implosion).

2. the noise itself.

   The loud explosion woke them.

3. a violent outburst, as of laughter or anger.

4. a sudden, rapid, or great increase.

   a population explosion.

5. the burning of the mixture of fuel and air in an internal-combustion engine.

6. Phonetics. plosion.

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explosion British  

/ ɪkˈspləʊʒən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of exploding

2. a violent release of energy resulting from a rapid chemical or nuclear reaction, esp one that produces a shock wave, loud noise, heat, and light Compare implosion

3. a sudden or violent outburst of activity, noise, emotion, etc

4. a rapid increase, esp in a population

5. phonetics another word for plosion

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explosion Scientific  

/ ĭk-splō′zhən /

1. A violent blowing apart or bursting caused by energy released from a very fast chemical reaction, a nuclear reaction, or the escape of gases under pressure.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preexplosion
  noun
• postexplosion
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• explosions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of explosion

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin explōsiōn-, stem of explōsiō, from explōs(us) “driven off by clapping” (past participle of explōdere “to drive off by clapping, drive away”; see explode) + -iō -ion

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Explanation

Whether it's a bursting balloon or a detonating bomb, you're sure to notice an explosion. An explosion involves a sudden and often violent burst of energy. The noun explosion is useful when you're talking about a watermelon smashing on the pavement or the burst of fireworks overhead, but it can also describe a sudden increase in something, like an explosion of excitement at a birthday party when the pony arrives. Originally, explosion was used to mean "scornful rejection," from its root in the Latin explodere, "hiss off the stage," and a disappointed audience today might still be described as "exploding with boos."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

explosion explosions

In a 1963 Canadian Parliamentary committee, for example, a witness from the chemical industry prominently cited it as reason chemical pesticides were required: to feed the approaching population explosion.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

In recent years, there has been an explosion of products marketed as "high protein"...

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

“It just slowly over time became too much until I did just have this explosion moment. I was playing those songs every night, and it didn’t feel like me anymore.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

Zakhavko heard an explosion nearby—she couldn’t tell how far away.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

“An explosion awakened me in Seattle,” she remembered.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

He said he was back in the lounge Wednesday, when new explosions rattled the glass and caused everyone to jump with fright.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

When asked about the explosions, President Zelensky has previously insisted that Ukraine "definitely didn't do that".

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

These extraordinarily violent events produce gravitational waves and rank among the most powerful explosions in the Universe.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

Loud explosions rattled the Saudi capital on Monday evening.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

It was a hitherto unprecedented golden age of successive human population explosions.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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Related Words

• blast
• burst
• detonation
• firing
• outbreak
• outburst

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