detonate
verb (used without object)
to explode with suddenness and violence.
had detonated
-
past perfectof detonate.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
In a rare acknowledgment during a meeting Thursday with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Putin said that missiles fired by Russian air defenses after Ukrainian drones entered Russian airspace had detonated near an Azerbaijan Airlines plane.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2025
By Wednesday morning, it looked as if a bomb had detonated on Sunset Boulevard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2025
Earlier, Ukraine's foreign ministry said the drones had detonated on Romanian territory, which borders Ukraine.
From Reuters ● Sep. 4, 2023
However there was no indication that any fireworks had detonated, police said.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 2, 2022
Judging from the ringing in Leo’s ears, the dwarf had detonated the flash-bang grenade, which Leo had filled with a rare vial of Apollo’s music, pure liquid extract.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
