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explosive

[ ik-sploh-siv ]
/ ɪkˈsploʊ sɪv /
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See synonyms for: explosive / explosives / explosiveness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
tending or serving to explode: an explosive temper; Nitroglycerin is an explosive substance.
pertaining to or of the nature of an explosion: explosive violence.
likely to lead to violence or hostility: an explosive issue.
Phonetics. plosive.
noun
an explosive agent or substance, as dynamite.
Phonetics. plosive.
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Origin of explosive

First recorded in 1660–70; explos(ion) + -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM explosive

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

How to use explosive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for explosive

explosive
/ (ɪkˈspləʊsɪv) /

adjective
of, involving, or characterized by an explosion or explosions
capable of exploding or tending to explode
potentially violent or hazardous; dangerousan explosive situation
phonetics another word for plosive
noun
a substance that decomposes rapidly under certain conditions with the production of gases, which expand by the heat of the reaction. The energy released is used in firearms, blasting, and rocket propulsion
a plosive consonant; stop

Derived forms of explosive

explosively, adverbexplosiveness, noun
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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