ex·plo·sive
ik-ˈsplō-siv 
-ziv
1
a
: relating to, characterized by, or operated by explosion
an explosive hatch
b
: resulting from or as if from an explosion
explosive population growth
2
a
: tending to explode
an explosive person
b
: likely to erupt in or produce hostile reaction or violence
an explosive situation
explosively
adverb
explosiveness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of explosive in a Sentence
Adjective
He has an explosive temper.
there's been an explosive interest in the sport since the Olympics
Recent Examples on the Web
Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Brunt explores what happened and the possible effect on the world's explosive military situation at that time.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2024
No longer just a repository for resumes, LinkedIn is seeing explosive growth in user engagement, reporting a 41 percent growth in content posted between the spring of 2021 and the spring of 2023.
—Peter Su, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
Marie Heinz walked away with the WMO World Featherweight Title Belt in an explosive victory over local favourite Judy Humber.
—Sacramento Bee, 8 Apr. 2024
The leadership change comes as the virtual care company hunts for a path forward after a period of explosive growth during the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Mario Aguilar, STAT, 5 Apr. 2024
The main mechanism is launching yourself up high with an explosive blast, then rocket surfing forward on your umbrella.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Ukrainian missiles and explosive drone boats have struck more than a dozen Russian ships out of the roughly three dozen the Black Sea Fleet operated before the wider war.
—David Axe, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
The nickname comes from an observation made in July 2023 when an explosive outburst from a cryovolcano on the comet's surface resulted in two streams of gas and dust emerging from it, giving the impression of two horns.
—The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024
Bloomberg News, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
McBride played an explosives expert in the film and was given an earpiece to communicate with the set as his character was perched in a watchtower above the production.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
Authorities say two of the men had plans to use explosives and small arms fire in attacks on a police station and at a stadium in east Jerusalem.
—Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024
What Israel says: Last month, Israel said its forces found a tunnel underneath UNRWA’s main Gaza headquarters containing large quantities of weapons and explosives.
—Josh Lederman, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024
The drone might range two miles with a pound of explosives.
—David Axe, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Editors’ Picks The attackers also set the building on fire using a combination of explosives and flammable liquid, Russian authorities said.
—Alina Lobzina, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024
Russian news reports said that the assailants also used explosives, causing a massive blaze at the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow.
—NBC News, 23 Mar. 2024
Investigators were still working this week to evaluate all the evidence, including testing homemade explosives allegedly found in Hansen’s home.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Considered our solar system's largest explosive events, solar flares occur when magnetic energy associated with sunspots is released, creating intense bursts of radiation.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Brunt explores what happened and the possible effect on the world's explosive military situation at that time.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2024
No longer just a repository for resumes, LinkedIn is seeing explosive growth in user engagement, reporting a 41 percent growth in content posted between the spring of 2021 and the spring of 2023.
—Peter Su, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
Marie Heinz walked away with the WMO World Featherweight Title Belt in an explosive victory over local favourite Judy Humber.
—Sacramento Bee, 8 Apr. 2024
The leadership change comes as the virtual care company hunts for a path forward after a period of explosive growth during the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Mario Aguilar, STAT, 5 Apr. 2024
The main mechanism is launching yourself up high with an explosive blast, then rocket surfing forward on your umbrella.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Ukrainian missiles and explosive drone boats have struck more than a dozen Russian ships out of the roughly three dozen the Black Sea Fleet operated before the wider war.
—David Axe, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
The nickname comes from an observation made in July 2023 when an explosive outburst from a cryovolcano on the comet's surface resulted in two streams of gas and dust emerging from it, giving the impression of two horns.
—The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024
Noun
In that incident, a car filled with 70 kilograms (154 pounds) of explosives blew up next to his motorcade moving along the highway near the city of Nazran.
—Bloomberg News, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
McBride played an explosives expert in the film and was given an earpiece to communicate with the set as his character was perched in a watchtower above the production.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
Authorities say two of the men had plans to use explosives and small arms fire in attacks on a police station and at a stadium in east Jerusalem.
—Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024
What Israel says: Last month, Israel said its forces found a tunnel underneath UNRWA’s main Gaza headquarters containing large quantities of weapons and explosives.
—Josh Lederman, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024
The drone might range two miles with a pound of explosives.
—David Axe, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Editors’ Picks The attackers also set the building on fire using a combination of explosives and flammable liquid, Russian authorities said.
—Alina Lobzina, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024
Russian news reports said that the assailants also used explosives, causing a massive blaze at the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow.
—NBC News, 23 Mar. 2024
Investigators were still working this week to evaluate all the evidence, including testing homemade explosives allegedly found in Hansen’s home.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'explosive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near explosive
Cite this Entry
“Explosive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explosive. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
explosive
1 of 2 adjective
ex·plo·sive
ik-ˈsplō-siv
-ziv
1
: able to cause explosion
the explosive power of gunpowder
2
: likely to explode
an explosive temper
explosively
adverb
explosiveness
noun
explosive
2 of 2 noun
: an explosive substance
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