detonation

noun

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

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 Hezbollah said the strikes were in response to the previous week’s pager and device detonation attack that killed 38 people, including some children, and injured more than 3,000. Natasha Turak, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2024 That attack followed the coordinated detonation of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah members across Lebanon. Andrew Jones, NBC News, 22 Sep. 2024 One day later, during a public funeral for some of those killed, a second wave of remote detonations rocked the already anxious nation, as walkie-talkies and other portable electronic devices exploded in unison. Rafi Schwartz, theweek, 20 Sep. 2024 On September 17, the detonation of thousands of pagers incapacitated hundreds of senior members of the Shiite terrorist organization. Ari Shavit, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for detonation 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'detonation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of detonation was in 1686

Dictionary Entries Near detonation

Cite this Entry

“Detonation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detonation. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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