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.
See Examples For:
Their explosive payloads did not detonate, and it’s entirely possible they were never meant to.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026
Alternatively, specially-equipped vessels, drones 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 ● Sep. 1, 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
Peeta sets his back on the table with such precision you’d think it might detonate.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
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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
When roughly a mile from its target, it uses artificial intelligence to lock onto the target and detonates nearby, according to its users.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
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
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When munitions are detonated underwater, the blast can spread contaminants through the surrounding environment.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
US President Donald Trump previously said on Truth Social that "all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz", citing the US Navy.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
Video footage on social media showed large secondary explosions, suggesting stored ammunition was detonated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Instead, the round detonated prematurely at 453 meters, or about 1,486 feet, in the air, around 3,300 feet from its firing location, according to the report.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 16, 2026
Indeed it was seeing her in Shakespeare’s play at the Paris Odeon that detonated the infatuation in the first place.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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"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
I scan the area for the pods that will surely be detonating.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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Vocabulary lists containing detonate
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