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.

---

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

---

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.

---

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

Lindy Hop, the grandfather of all swing, emerged in 1920s New York during the Harlem Renaissance—an explosion of black artistic creativity following the Great Migration of blacks from the rural South to the urban North.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

The market has said the explosion in creative tools is going to make Unity’s game engine less relevant.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

Over 50,000 residents were temporarily evacuated as officials investigated the potential for an explosion for days.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

The fire led to an explosion and caused about £1m of damage to the vehicles and medical equipment, with nearby flats and a synagogue also affected.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Mr. Neely made a weird explosion gesture with his hands, and someone in the back of the room giggled, which only seemed to encourage him.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller

Related Words

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