detonate
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.
The leaked Internal Affairs report said there was a mistaken “universal belief” within the bomb squad that the containment vessel could safely detonate up to 40 pounds of explosive materials.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026
Alternatively, specialized ships or aircraft mimic the magnetic fields, pressure or noise created by a passing ship to detonate the mines before they can do any harm.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
Commander Fox explains that mines generally fall into two categories: contact mines, which detonate when struck, and influence mines, which explode when sensors detect changes in sound, pressure or magnetism.
From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026
The US currently uses computer simulations and other non-explosive means to test its nuclear weapons, and therefore does not have a practical justification to detonate them, multiple experts said.
From BBC • Oct. 30, 2025
Some of the mortar safety pins, which kept the priming mechanism from allowing the round to detonate on impact, had not been replaced.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
Vocabulary lists containing detonate
A Separate Peace
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Unit 4: Powerful Openings
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All the Light We Cannot See
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