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detonate

[det-n-ayt] / ˈdɛt nˌeɪt /


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.

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Their explosive payloads did not detonate, and it’s entirely possible they were never meant to.

From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026

An attempt to detonate or diffuse the bomb failed, so Officer Brian Murray and three others were lowered into the crater.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

According to the leaked file reviewed by The Times, the LAPD’s internal investigators found Hogg made a “gross underestimation” of the explosive weight of the fireworks that police intended to detonate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2026

Because of their small size, the rats are not heavy enough to detonate mines, making them a safer option than humans.

From BBC ● Apr. 4, 2026

There was a hard block of silence, and then I said quietly, as though my words might detonate the room, “Do you remember what made you fall?”

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles

It detonates just as they get close, apparently shocking even Berezovska with its force.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

When a nuclear weapon detonates or a serious reactor accident occurs, an immense burst of energy is released in less than a millionth of a second.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2026

But every year, as wrapping paper detonates across the living room and a small mountain of objects emerges—some beloved, some baffling—I have the same unseasonal thought: This is wildly inefficient.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025

He detonates narrative warfare wherever he goes, so it’s difficult to decipher what is planted to create spectacle to feed the mangy cult and what is a true trash fire of a human.

From Salon ● Mar. 12, 2024

Halftime Right after you glance at April waving from the bleachers, your stomach detonates: KABOOM! and you lose it right there behind the bench in Pernell’s gym bag.

From "Booked" by Kwame Alexander

When munitions are detonated underwater, the blast can spread contaminants through the surrounding environment.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

"The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated."

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

Blasts, initially thought to be exploding gas cylinders, may have been World War Two explosives detonated by the heat of the fires, the local fire commander told local media.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

Video footage on social media showed large secondary explosions, suggesting stored ammunition was detonated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

Yes, the confession you spent weeks practicing on Freddie Mercury and working up the courage to make just detonated on the tip of your tongue.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone

"It depends on the area where the wreck and munitions lie. Currents and seabed morphology play a major role. In some cases, detonating them can do more harm than good," she explains.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

After safely detonating the device at another location, the police informed Ewan that the device was a practice bomb used to send flare signals 20,000 ft in the air.

From BBC ● May 28, 2026

The drone, designed by Perennial Autonomy, a company backed by former Google CEO and billionaire Eric Schmidt using Ukrainian engineers, destroys other drones by detonating close by and has proven popular in Ukraine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026

If your goal is to save money on taxes, detonating the tax torpedo is not ideal.

From MarketWatch ● May 8, 2026

It intercepted the cannonball midair, detonating a massive fireball.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan


Vocabulary lists containing detonate

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