detonate

American

[det-n-eyt] / ˈdɛt nˌeɪt /

verb (used without object)

detonated, detonating

to explode with suddenness and violence.

verb (used with object)

detonated, detonating

to cause (something explosive) to explode.

detonate British

/ ˈdɛtəˌneɪt /

verb

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of detonate

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

Explanation

Boom! To detonate is to explode or cause something to explode. If a bad guy lights the fuse of a stick of dynamite, run before it detonates! In war, there is a lot of detonating, which is when something violently explodes, like bombs or grenades. When someone steps on a landmine, it detonates. The detonating of nuclear bombs devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. Also, to detonate is to set off a bomb. Pushing a button, flicking a switch, or lighting a fuse could detonate a bomb. Either way, to detonate is to blow up.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Commander Fox explains that mines generally fall into two categories: contact mines, which detonate when struck, and influence mines, which explode when sensors detect changes in sound, pressure or magnetism.

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026

Former world number one Andy Roddick previously said there should be a "zone" for players to "detonate" after tough defeats.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026

Molniyas can either detonate their own payload or carry two or three small FPVs, extending their range.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

Proximity fuses are designed to detonate in the air when they are a certain distance from a target, experts say.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2025

Peeta sets his back on the table with such precision you’d think it might detonate.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023