dynamite

[ dahy-nuh-mahyt ]

/ ˈdaɪ nəˌmaɪt /

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See synonyms for: dynamite / dynamited / dynamiting on Thesaurus.com

noun

a high explosive, originally consisting of nitroglycerin mixed with an absorbent substance, now with ammonium nitrate usually replacing the nitroglycerin.

any person or thing having a spectacular effect.

verb (used with object), dy·na·mit·ed, dy·na·mit·ing.

to blow up, shatter, or destroy with dynamite: Saboteurs dynamited the dam.

to mine or charge with dynamite.

adjective

Informal. creating a spectacular or optimum effect; great; topnotch: a dynamite idea; a dynamite crew.

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Origin of dynamite

From Swedish dynamit, introduced by Alfred Bernhard Nobel, its inventor in 1867; see dynam-, -ite¹

OTHER WORDS FROM dynamite

dy·na·mit·er, noundy·na·mit·ic

[dahy-nuh-mit-ik], /ˌdaɪ nəˈmɪt ɪk/, adjectivedy·na·mit·i·cal·ly, adverbun·dy·na·mit·ed, adjective

Words nearby dynamite

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dynamite in a sentence

Often taking the heavy-handed approach of detonating dynamite to free specimens, he amassed a collection of fossils representing both the young and the old.
Fossils and ancient DNA paint a vibrant picture of human origins|Erin Wayman|September 15, 2021|Science News
For journalists suspicious about China’s handling of the virus, the thread—and those that followed—were dynamite.
They called it a conspiracy theory. But Alina Chan tweeted life into the idea that the virus came from a lab.|Antonio Regalado|June 25, 2021|MIT Technology Review
Still, between the dynamite premise and the excellent cast, the show could easily be salvaged.
AMC’s Kevin Can F**K Himself Squanders a Thrillingly Subversive Premise|Judy Berman|June 18, 2021|Time
The Taglieris, who work in IT and finance, are used to hearing dynamite detonations at least once a month at the plant, the couple said.
A huge explosion cracked house foundations in New Hampshire. An ‘extreme’ gender-reveal party was to blame.|Andrea Salcedo|April 23, 2021|Washington Post

This was way louder and way more powerful than a dynamite blast.
A huge explosion cracked house foundations in New Hampshire. An ‘extreme’ gender-reveal party was to blame.|Andrea Salcedo|April 23, 2021|Washington Post
The world that Black Dynamite lives in is not the most PC place to be in.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Music is a huge part of the tone of Black Dynamite overall—going back to the original 2009 movie on which the series is based.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
One strip, Foolish Grandpa and Sour Henry, shows Grandpa being hit on the head by a sandbag and blown up by dynamite.
The Magazine That Made—and Unmade—Politicians|Anthony Haden-Guest|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Jamiroquai's "Canned Heat," which was also featured in Napoleon Dynamite's epic dance scene.
Viral Video of the Day: 100 Days of Dance|The Daily Beast Video|May 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the poem set off tiny sticks of dynamite behind my eyes.
Dealing With Dad the Dealer|Tony Doukopil|April 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dynamite, by the good fortune of invention, came to the revolutionary at the very moment when it was most wanted.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
He had thought he was amusing himself with a toy cannon, and he had fired a charge of dynamite.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
Perhaps he helped to dynamite the barges and drive those Hessians out of town.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist|Alexander Berkman
The latter crouched there, frozen, hanging onto his hat as if it were a hunk of dynamite.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
At the bow of this launch was a long spar, and at the end of this spar was a torpedo holding a hundred pounds of dynamite.
Stories of Our Naval Heroes|Various

British Dictionary definitions for dynamite

dynamite

/ (ˈdaɪnəˌmaɪt) /

noun

an explosive consisting of nitroglycerine or ammonium nitrate mixed with kieselguhr, sawdust, or wood pulp

informal a spectacular or potentially dangerous person or thing

verb

(tr) to mine or blow up with dynamite

Derived forms of dynamite

dynamiter, noun

Word Origin for dynamite

C19 (coined by Alfred Nobel): from dynamo- + -ite 1

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

Scientific definitions for dynamite

dynamite

[ dī′nə-mīt′ ]

A powerful explosive used in blasting and mining. It typically consists of nitroglycerin and a nitrate (especially sodium nitrate or ammonium nitrate), combined with an absorbent material that makes it safer to handle.

dynamite

Origin of dynamite

OTHER WORDS FROM dynamite

Words nearby dynamite

Words related to dynamite

How to use dynamite in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dynamite

Derived forms of dynamite

Word Origin for dynamite

Scientific definitions for dynamite