detonate
verb
det·o·nate
ˈde-tᵊn-ˌāt 
ˈde-tə-ˌnāt
detonated; detonating
: to explode with sudden violence
1
: to cause to detonate
detonate a bomb
compare deflagrate
2
: to set off in a burst of activity : spark
programs that detonated controversies
Examples of detonate in a Sentence
The first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945.
the bomb detonated with a thunder that could be heard for blocks in all directions
Recent Examples on the Web
Prosecutors said that during an interview with investigators after his arrest, Cole confessed to constructing the devices, filling them with explosive powder and setting the timers to detonate.
—
Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
In a post on Telegram, Kiper said a two-story residential building was damaged and that a drone hit an apartment on the 17th floor of a high-rise building without detonating.
—Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
Once a year, in October, visitors can attend an open house at the Trinity Site—where the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945.
—Sharael Kolberg, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
The explosives failed to detonate and Reid was held down by fellow passengers and the flight crew.
—Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detonate
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Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
In a post on Telegram, Kiper said a two-story residential building was damaged and that a drone hit an apartment on the 17th floor of a high-rise building without detonating.
—Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
Once a year, in October, visitors can attend an open house at the Trinity Site—where the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945.
—Sharael Kolberg, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
The explosives failed to detonate and Reid was held down by fellow passengers and the flight crew.
—Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detonate
Cite this Entry
“Detonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detonate. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
detonate
verb
det·o·nate
ˈdet-ᵊn-ˌāt
ˈdet-ə-ˌnāt
detonated; detonating
: to explode or cause to explode with sudden violence
detonation
noun
ˌdet-ᵊn-ˈā-shən,
ˌdet-ə-ˈnā-
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