explosion

American  

[ik-sploh-zhuhn] / ɪkˈsploʊ ʒən /

noun

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

• postexplosion adjective
• preexplosion noun

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”; 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

Machado was placed on administrative leave following the violent July 1 explosion, which was felt by residents up to 20 miles away, destroyed a family farm and sparked a 78-acre grass fire.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

And copper wiring is a critical part of data centers, meaning that the metal is benefiting from the explosion in demand for artifcial-intelligence technology.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

The explosion in China in the 2000s—what did that feel like?

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

For years, scientists believed that the rapid rise of diverse and complex animals, known as the Cambrian explosion, began around 535 million years ago.

From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026

Mom and Jess and the twins joined him in a booth, and he explained that what they’d seen and heard from their classroom earlier was called a steam explosion.

From "I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980" by Lauren Tarshis

Related Words

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