detonation

noun

det·​o·​na·​tion ˌde-tᵊn-ˈā-shən How to pronounce detonation (audio)
ˌde-tə-ˈnā-
Synonyms of detonationnext
1
: the action or process of detonating
2
: rapid combustion in an internal combustion engine that results in knocking

Synonyms of detonation

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of detonation in a Sentence

there was a series of detonations around the base of the condemned building, causing it to come crashing down in a matter of minutes
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Gripped by a summer of weather extremes, Romania recently shut down its sole working nuclear reactor cooled by the Danube for the first time, with Bucharest even deploying naval forces to carry out underwater detonations to improve water flow. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 By contrast, nuclear detonation provides significantly greater energy, improving humanity’s ability to deflect or destroy incoming threats. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026 If The Odyssey lit the fuse, Spider-Man is the looming detonation. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 July 2026 Yet enterprise returns on AI investments remain modest, adoption is uneven and national productivity data show no economic detonation. — Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for detonation

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of detonation was in 1686

Rhymes for detonation

See All Rhymes for detonation

Browse Nearby Words

detonate
detonation
detonative
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detonation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detonation. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on detonation

Nglish: Translation of detonation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about detonation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All