detonation
Americannoun
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the act of detonating.
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an explosion.
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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.
noun
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an explosion or the act of exploding
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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
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physics rapid combustion, esp that occurring within a shock wave
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing detonation
The Hot Zone
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"Modern Automotive Technology," Vocabulary from Section 4
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Mockingjay
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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.
A controlled detonation has been carried out on a large World War Two bomb found at a building site.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
The report suggested possible causes for the premature fuze detonation but determined that military personnel were not at fault.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
Textron’s tech can also trick mine sensors into thinking a large boat is passing, triggering a relatively safe detonation.
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
Under Finland's 1987 Nuclear Energy Act, the import, manufacture, possession and detonation of nuclear explosives is prohibited on Finnish soil - even during wartime.
From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026
When he saw her the detonation almost drowned him.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
