explosion

American  

[ik-sploh-zhuhn] / ɪkˈsploʊ ʒən /

noun

• explosions
  plural

1. an act or instance of exploding; a violent expansion or bursting with noise, as of gunpowder or a boiler (opposed to implosion).

2. the noise itself.

   The loud explosion woke them.

3. a violent outburst, as of laughter or anger.

4. a sudden, rapid, or great increase.

   a population explosion.

5. the burning of the mixture of fuel and air in an internal-combustion engine.

6. Phonetics. plosion.

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explosion British  

/ ɪkˈspləʊʒən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of exploding

2. a violent release of energy resulting from a rapid chemical or nuclear reaction, esp one that produces a shock wave, loud noise, heat, and light Compare implosion

3. a sudden or violent outburst of activity, noise, emotion, etc

4. a rapid increase, esp in a population

5. phonetics another word for plosion

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explosion Scientific  

/ ĭk-splō′zhən /

1. A violent blowing apart or bursting caused by energy released from a very fast chemical reaction, a nuclear reaction, or the escape of gases under pressure.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preexplosion
  noun
• postexplosion
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• explosions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of explosion

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin explōsiōn-, stem of explōsiō, from explōs(us) “driven off by clapping” (past participle of explōdere “to drive off by clapping, drive away”; see explode) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Whether it's a bursting balloon or a detonating bomb, you're sure to notice an explosion. An explosion involves a sudden and often violent burst of energy. The noun explosion is useful when you're talking about a watermelon smashing on the pavement or the burst of fireworks overhead, but it can also describe a sudden increase in something, like an explosion of excitement at a birthday party when the pony arrives. Originally, explosion was used to mean "scornful rejection," from its root in the Latin explodere, "hiss off the stage," and a disappointed audience today might still be described as "exploding with boos."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

explosion explosions

ChatGPT’s 2022 launch and the subsequent AI explosion caught states off guard, turbocharging energy and water consumption at facilities that support it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

This period marked a major evolutionary shift from predominantly soft-bodied organisms toward the Cambrian explosion, when animals with greater mobility, shells, and skeletons became increasingly prominent.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

Like the rest of the nation, California has seen a remarkable explosion in demand for electricity, driven in large part by the rise of artificial intelligence data centers, electric vehicles and building electrification.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

Inside the beverage industry, Infante says one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the explosion of nonalcoholic drinks is that they’re replacing alcohol altogether.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

The leak may have saved unit 2 from explosion, but it was also releasing radioactivity into the air.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

“Motor City” and movies like it — think “Sisu,” “Silent Night” and other screen explosions — are the opposite all that.

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026

He has denied responsibility for the explosions and appeared before a court in Hamburg in June.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Very massive stars can end their lives in supernova explosions, but such events are relatively uncommon.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026

The space junk includes defunct man-made objects like rocket bodies, dead satellites and fragments from launches, explosions and collisions that threaten to re-enter Earth's atmosphere or crash into functioning satellites.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

There had been reports of strange, unexplained explosions.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• blast
• burst
• detonation
• firing
• outbreak
• outburst