EXPLODE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does explode mean? 

• EXPLODE (verb)
  The verb EXPLODE has 10 senses:

1. cause to burst with a violent release of energy

2. burst outward, usually with noise

3. show a violent emotional reaction

4. be unleashed; emerge with violence or noise

5. destroy by exploding

6. cause to burst as a result of air pressure; of stop consonants like /p/, /t/, and /k/

7. drive from the stage by noisy disapproval

8. show (a theory or claim) to be baseless, or refute and make obsolete

9. burst and release energy as through a violent chemical or physical reaction

10. increase rapidly and in an uncontrolled manner

  Familiarity information: EXPLODE used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EXPLODE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they explode    ... he / she / it explodes   
Past simple: exploded   
Past participle: exploded   
-ing form: exploding   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause to burst with a violent release of energy

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

blow up; detonate; explode; set off

Context example:

We exploded the nuclear bomb

Hypernyms (to "explode" is one way to...):

change integrity (change in physical make-up)

Cause:

blow up; detonate; explode (burst and release energy as through a violent chemical or physical reaction)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "explode"):

fulminate (cause to explode violently and with loud noise)

dynamite (blow up with dynamite)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

explosion (the act of exploding or bursting)

explosion (a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Burst outward, usually with noise

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

burst; explode

Context example:

The champagne bottle exploded

Hypernyms (to "explode" is one way to...):

change integrity (change in physical make-up)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "explode"):

crump (explode heavily or with a loud dull noise)

go off (be discharged or activated)

belch; erupt; extravasate (become active and spew forth lava and rocks)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

implode (burst inward)

Derivation:

explosion (the act of exploding or bursting)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Show a violent emotional reaction

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

The boss exploded when he heard of the resignation of the secretary

Hypernyms (to "explode" is one way to...):

react; respond (show a response or a reaction to something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Be unleashed; emerge with violence or noise

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break loose; burst forth; explode

Context example:

His anger exploded

Hypernyms (to "explode" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

explosion (a sudden outburst)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Destroy by exploding

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The enemy exploded the bridge

Hypernyms (to "explode" is one way to...):

destroy; ruin (destroy completely; damage irreparably)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Cause to burst as a result of air pressure; of stop consonants like /p/, /t/, and /k/

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "explode" is one way to...):

articulate; enounce; enunciate; pronounce; say; sound out (speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

explosion (the terminal forced release of pressure built up during the occlusive phase of a stop consonant)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Drive from the stage by noisy disapproval

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "explode" is one way to...):

condemn (declare or judge unfit for use or habitation)

"Explode" entails doing...:

boo; hiss (show displeasure, as after a performance or speech)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 8

Meaning:

Show (a theory or claim) to be baseless, or refute and make obsolete

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "explode" is one way to...):

confute; disprove (prove to be false)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Burst and release energy as through a violent chemical or physical reaction

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

blow up; detonate; explode

Context example:

The Molotov cocktail exploded

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 10

Meaning:

Increase rapidly and in an uncontrolled manner

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

explode; irrupt

Context example:

The island's rodent population irrupted

Hypernyms (to "explode" is one way to...):

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

explosion (a sudden great increase)

 Context examples 

In 2011, two of these massive stars, called red supergiants, exploded while in Kepler's view.

(Kepler Catches Early Flash of an Exploding Star, NASA)

Our Milky Way galaxy is littered with the still-sizzling remains of exploded stars.

(Pulse of a Dead Star Powers Intense Gamma Rays, NASA)

When the star that created this supernova remnant exploded in 1572, it was so bright that it was visible during the day.

(Chandra Movie Captures Expanding Debris from a Stellar Explosion, NASA)

If you were in there, the night sky would be bright with young stars, and there would be a lot of dust, gas, and remnants of exploding stars.

(Telescopes Uncover Early Construction of Giant Galaxy, NASA)

When a massive star dies, it explodes as a supernova and leaves behind either a black hole or an incredibly dense object called a neutron star.

(Mysterious Blast Studied with NASA Telescopes, NASA)

Pulsars were previously massive stars that exploded in powerful supernovae, leaving behind these small, dense stellar corpses.

(NuSTAR Helps Find Universe's Brightest Pulsars, NASA)

Most scientists agree that Type Ia supernovas occur when white dwarfs, the dense remnants of Sun-like stars that have run out of fuel, explode.

(Trigger for Milky Way’s Youngest Supernova Identified, NASA)

It seems obvious that you wouldn't want a supernova exploding near Earth.

(Evidence for supernovas near Earth, NASA)

"It's one of them horrid telegraph things, mum," she said, handling it as if she was afraid it would explode and do some damage.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

"As diabetes is exploding worldwide in terms of its incidence, I think this becomes more important as we have an aging population with diabetes," he said.

(Protein Discovery Could Help Heal Bones in Diabetics, VOA)