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

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.

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

With a range of 3 miles, the Nimbrix missile has a warhead that can detonate in the air to target swarms of drones at a relatively low cost.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 14, 2025

One of my cousins who lives in Dahiyeh had disconnected the solar-powered lithium batteries that provided electricity to his apartment for fear that they could detonate.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 23, 2024

My water powers would protect us both, and we’d detonate the charges from a quarter mile away.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

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