detonation

American  

[det-n-ey-shuhn] / ˌdɛt nˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of detonating.

2. an explosion.

3. Machinery. the premature spontaneous burning of a fuel–air mixture in an internal-combustion engine due to the high temperature of air compressed in a cylinder.

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detonation British  

/ ˌdɛtəˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. an explosion or the act of exploding

2. the spontaneous combustion in an internal-combustion engine of part of the mixture before it has been reached by the flame front, causing the engine to knock

3. physics rapid combustion, esp that occurring within a shock wave

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Other Word Forms

• detonative
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of detonation

1670–80; < Medieval Latin dētonātiōn- (stem of dētonātiō ), equivalent to Latin dētonāt ( us ) ( see detonate) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

A detonation is an explosion, usually done on purpose. Nuclear weapons cause massive detonations, and cities sometimes plan a careful detonation of an abandoned building in order to make room for a new structure. Detonation can be two things: the actual moment someone presses the button that creates the explosion, and then there’s the explosion itself. Its root word is the Latin detonare, which means “thunder down,” and if you’ve ever heard a detonation you understand that phrase well. Not all detonations are bad — like beautiful fireworks or the hilarious detonation of an exploding cigar.

Example Sentences

She said: "Substantial protective measures were installed, including the erection of walls and the digging of trenches to mitigate the impact of any detonation and reduce ground shock."

From BBC • May 1, 2026

“The Complex,” more meandering and less searing — is a departure from such detonation.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

Polymarket alone has hosted what Bloomberg estimated as more than $500m in bets related to the Iran war, at one point offering an opportunity to play the odds on the chance of nuclear detonation.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

ICF allows scientists to replicate and study the effects of nuclear weapons, including how materials behave under the same extreme temperatures and pressures found inside a nuclear detonation, without an actual nuclear test.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

Though the Crepuscule was armed with but sixteen guns, the noise of their detonation was great, and as we labored to stand in the darkness, cannon blasts quaked the whole ship from strake to stringer.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• ignition