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 continued: "When you take out a major leader, there's a detonation of a struggle to take control in that vacuum. So, you'll see these squabbles for power in different parts of the country."

From BBC • Feb. 24, 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

Once a mine is identified, the actual detonation often takes place the following day.

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026

No country other than North Korea is known to have conducted a nuclear detonation for decades.

From Barron's • Nov. 3, 2025

This display of sentiment was interrupted by a detonation so loud I stumbled.

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