1
as in detonating
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
the building was wrecked when a powerful bomb exploded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shattering
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
the bomb was so powerful that it exploded windows in several neighboring buildings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in erupting
to develop suddenly and violently
the mayor's latest unpopular decision caused long-suppressed resentment to explode into open anger
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of exploding
Both Monahon and Carroll are writing about transformation of the paradigm-exploding kind.
—
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
That is, until the union starts not-so-quietly exploding during a vicious screaming match at their home following a fundraising event.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
When spring is in the air, there’s nothing quite like seeing a garden exploding in seasonal color.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
With a backlog of $7 billion, and hyperscaler capital spending exploding, Liani expects demand for network connectivity to grow further this year.
—Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Rolling blackouts, exploding manholes, and a crumbling energy grid have nothing to do with socialism.
—Shahana Hanif, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
Sources say Doomsday is exploding on long-lead tracking.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
Old Herald clippings from 1986 reported about homeowners toilets and sinks smelling like gas, a 3-year-old getting rashes and fevers from drinking the well water and fear of driers exploding.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
And these are people that are living where the bombs are exploding.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
That is, until the union starts not-so-quietly exploding during a vicious screaming match at their home following a fundraising event.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
When spring is in the air, there’s nothing quite like seeing a garden exploding in seasonal color.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
With a backlog of $7 billion, and hyperscaler capital spending exploding, Liani expects demand for network connectivity to grow further this year.
—Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Rolling blackouts, exploding manholes, and a crumbling energy grid have nothing to do with socialism.
—Shahana Hanif, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
Sources say Doomsday is exploding on long-lead tracking.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
Old Herald clippings from 1986 reported about homeowners toilets and sinks smelling like gas, a 3-year-old getting rashes and fevers from drinking the well water and fear of driers exploding.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
And these are people that are living where the bombs are exploding.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exploding
Verb
-
Two Massachusetts men have pleaded guilty to breaking into Harvard Medical School and detonating fireworks last Halloween night, a crime that caught the eye of FBI Director Kash Patel.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
And some advanced mines have counters that will let a certain number of ships pass before detonating.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a race for the ages, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday, shattering the previous men’s world record by an astonishing 65 seconds.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The Kenyan runner won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, shattering the previous men’s world record by 65 seconds.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Their breakthrough eventually came in the 76th minute, Nu Stadium erupting when German Berterame equalized into an open net following an easy rebound on Luis Suarez’s low drive.—
Julian Cardillo,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Police recovered video surveillance of the shooting, which showed gunfire erupting from a red four-door Chevrolet.—
Gabriel San Román,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Death Cafes are popping up in churches, coffee shops and even historic cemeteries across the country.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
-
That podium is being replicated for one of the brand’s activations at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, one of the venues where the Champagne brand is also popping up, in addition to the Miami Beach Edition and Seaspice.—
James Manso,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
But as anyone who’s dropped a mug knows, ceramics are also brittle and prone to smashing.—
Caitlin Kennedy,
Scientific American,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Police officers arrived at her Hollywood Hills home in Los Angeles and learned that the attackers had left the woman inside after allegedly smashing her jaw and choking her.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In addition, strong winds over desert areas could result in briefly lowered visibilities to well under a mile at times in blowing dust or blowing sand.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
This kind of build-up is unusual because volatile elements like sodium, which can get exposed after an object is blasted with micrometeorites, are usually later depleted by solar winds blowing from the sun and the general influence of space.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has overseen dramatic cosmetic changes on the White House grounds during his second term, including paving over the grassy line of the famous Rose Garden and demolishing the White House's East Wing to make way for a massive ballroom.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
Mary Shepard Place — built in the 1940s as Bellevue Square in the Clay Arsenal neighborhood — would be redeveloped in two phases, demolishing a total of 127, low-income apartments and replacing them with 159.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Following a brutal winter season, Martha's Bedford farm is now bursting with colorful blooms.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
28 Apr. 2026
-
As April comes to a close, Amazon’s outlet is bursting with even more exciting deals than usual.—
Madeline Merinuk,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exploding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exploding. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
