Synonyms

TNT

¹ American

Or T.N.T.

Chemistry. a yellow, crystalline, water-insoluble, flammable solid, C 7 H 5 N 3 O 6 , derived from toluene by nitration, a high explosive unaffected by ordinary friction or shock: used chiefly in military and other explosive devices, and as an intermediate in the preparation of dye-stuffs and photographic chemicals.

TNT ² American

abbreviation

Trademark.

Turner Network Television: a cable television channel.

TNT British

noun

2,4,6-trinitrotoluene; a yellow solid: used chiefly as a high explosive and is also an intermediate in the manufacture of dyestuffs. Formula: CH 3 C 6 H 2 (NO 2 ) 3

"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

TNT Scientific

/ tē′ĕn-tē′ /

Short for trinitrotoluene. A yellow, crystalline compound used mainly as an explosive. As it can only explode by means of a detonator and is not affected by shock, it is safe to handle and is used especially in munitions and for demolitions. Chemical formula: C ₇ H ₅ N ₃ O ₆ .

Usage

What is TNT? TNT is a yellow, odorless powder at room temperature. TNT is highly explosive and has been used in the making of military weapons and industrial explosives. TNT is often confused and used interchangeably with another explosive: dynamite. While TNT and dynamite are both explosive, they have little else in common. They have totally different chemical properties and are made from completely different ingredients. Because it is highly explosive and highly dangerous, TNT is almost always regulated by government agencies, such as the United States’s Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. In the United States TNT can legally be made only by the U. S. military but can be legally purchased from other countries for approved industrial reasons. Using TNT in explosives is frequently depicted in popular culture, such as the Looney Tunes and Mickey Mouse cartoons. Example: Wile E. Coyote is often blown up by his own TNT when he fails to catch the Road Runner.

Etymology

Origin of TNT

First recorded in 1910–15

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.

Since the NBA ended its long-running deal to air games on TNT and TBS, things have gotten far more confusing for fans.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

TBS and TNT were the original portals to Turner’s film library, but they utilized most of its features as schedule filler.

From Salon • May 8, 2026

The company also felt the loss of its NBA contract for its TNT channel, which NBC picked up.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Turner's television empire expanded beyond CNN and included TBS and TNT channels for sports and entertainment, Turner Classic Movies and Cartoon Network, among others.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

It exploded with a force of 10.4 megatons—the equivalent of 10.4 million tons of TNT.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

TNT