Synonyms

explode

American

[ik-splohd] / ɪkˈsploʊd /

verb (used without object)

to expand with force and noise because of rapid chemical change or decomposition, as gunpowder or nitroglycerine (opposed to implode).
to burst, fly into pieces, or break up violently with a loud report, as a boiler from excessive pressure of steam.
to burst forth violently or emotionally, especially with noise, laughter, violent speech, etc..

He exploded with rage when contradicted.
Phonetics. (of plosives) to terminate the occlusive phase with a plosion.
Golf. to play an explosion shot on a golf ball.

verb (used with object)

to cause (gunpowder, a boiler, etc.) to explode.
to cause to be rejected; destroy the repute of; discredit or disprove.

to explode a theory.
Phonetics. to end with plosion.
Golf. to play an explosion shot on (a golf ball).
Obsolete. to drive (a player, play, etc.) from the stage by loud expressions of disapprobation.

explode British

/ ɪkˈspləʊd /

verb

to burst or cause to burst with great violence as a result of internal pressure, esp through the detonation of an explosive; blow up
to destroy or be destroyed in this manner

to explode a bridge
(of a gas) to undergo or cause (a gas) to undergo a sudden violent expansion, accompanied by heat, light, a shock wave, and a loud noise, as a result of a fast uncontrolled exothermic chemical or nuclear reaction
(intr) to react suddenly or violently with emotion, etc

to explode with anger
(intr) (esp of a population) to increase rapidly
(tr) to show (a theory, etc) to be baseless; refute and make obsolete
(tr) phonetics to pronounce (a stop) with audible plosion

"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

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Etymology

Origin of explode

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin explōdere “to drive off by clapping, drive away,” from ex- ex- ¹ + -plōdere, variant stem of plaudere “to clap” ( cf. applaud)

Explanation

Anything and anyone can explode — that is, produce a violent, sudden and usually very loud release of energy. Explode's two most common meanings refer to a physically destructive act, most commonly a bomb going off, or metaphorically, as in your parents' sudden fury when they see your end-of-year grades. Originally explode meant something quite different — to drive an unpleasing actor or group of performers from the stage by clapping and booing. (From the Latin words ex, meaning "out," and plaudere, "to clap one's hands.") Those ancient Greek and Roman crowds were tough.

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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.

See Examples For:

explode explodes exploded exploding

The news comes at a time when the buzzword “longevity” has become synonymous with wellness, and as the U.S. centenarian population is expected to explode over the next few decades.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

Joyojit Pal, a professor at the University of Michigan who studies technology and society, says social media has become "a tinderbox waiting to explode with the next thing", its speed and reach driven by emotion.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

They don't commonly explode, the research points out.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

Astronomers have long suspected that white dwarfs also receive kicks, but the process is much gentler because these stars do not explode.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026

The clamor inside this floor was just as loud as the one below us as the workers panicked, and I felt like my brain was going to explode from all the heat and noise.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

“You don’t want an air bag that explodes, and you don’t want an air bag that under-inflates,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

But traipse past the principal’s office, scale a short incline, and you’ll be rewarded with an 80-foot-long mural that explodes with color.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026

Both companies are major manufacturers of semiconductors and computer hardware, and earnings for those companies have skyrocketed as demand for memory chips explodes.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026

In one scenario, a rapidly spinning massive star explodes and splits into two smaller neutron stars through a process called fission.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 24, 2026

When I stop, a brand-new thought explodes in my head: Why go to school?

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

As home prices exploded over the last few years, so have home values — and, in turn, property-tax bills.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026

A Chinese rocket, the Long March 7A, failed and exploded on its 10 August launch in Wenchang, Hainan, China.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

SaaS exploded in the 2010s, but now a “SaaSpocalypse” looms over Silicon Valley.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

Shortly after the video was released, the internet exploded with concern about Grande’s noticeably svelte appearance, and the scenes in the clip that seemed intended to exploit it.

From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026

A flaming tree on the other side of the street exploded from the inside out, startling Akira and Sue and making them cry out.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Stanford researchers have identified a previously unknown immune cell that destroys nearby cells by exploding.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

"It is undoubtedly a problem that's exploding in society, and we're struggling to know how to contain it," she said.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

When they took the stage, the band wasted no time exploding into a searing 10-song set led by “That Girl” and including a screeching cover of the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

Moonshot AI posted on X over the weekend that exploding demand for Kimi K3 had pushed capacity to its limits, leading the company to temporarily pause new sign-ups to prioritize compute access for current members.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

This was at Thanksgiving, so my head still rang like a belfry from the exploding stove.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

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