explodeverb
uk/ɪkˈspləʊd/us/ɪkˈsploʊd/explode verb (BREAK APART)
B1 [ I or T ] to break up into pieces violently, or to cause something to do this:
A bomb exploded at one of the capital's busiest railway stations this morning.
He was driving so fast that his car tyre exploded.
Compare
implode
More examples
- If you pull the pin out of a hand-grenade, it'll explode.
- The plane dived towards the ground and exploded in a ball of flame.
- Witnesses reported seeing a huge orange fireball as the oil refinery exploded.
- The terrorists exploded the device just as a convoy was passing.
- She could hear the distant sound of fireworks exploding.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Exploding and erupting
- blast
- blow (sb/sth) up
- blowout
- burst
- burst in on sb/sth
- burst in/into (somewhere)
- detonate
- explosion
- explosive
- flare
- go
- go off
- go pop idiom
- go up
- ignite
- live
- pop
- set
- set sth off
- test-fire
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explode verb (EMOTION)
[ I ] to react suddenly with a strong expression of emotion:
[ + speech ] "What on earth do you think you're doing?" she exploded (= said angrily).
The children exploded into giggles (= suddenly started laughing uncontrollably).
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Expressing and showing feelings
- abandon
- affective
- be in/get into a state idiom
- beat your breast/chest idiom
- beetroot
- bubble
- expression
- flame
- impassioned
- lose it idiom
- marvel
- moved
- overflow
- pine
- throw
- vocalize
- wear your heart on your sleeve idiom
- whimper
- wring
- wring your hands idiom
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explode verb (INCREASE)
[ I ] to increase very quickly:
The population has exploded in the last ten years.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Increasing and intensifying
- -ify
- a snowball effect idiom
- accretion
- accumulate
- accumulative
- add fuel to the fire idiom
- balloon
- bump
- dial
- heighten
- hot up
- increase
- increment
- pile
- rack
- speed-up
- spurt
- step
- step sth up
- supersize
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explode verb (PROVE FALSE)
[ T ] to show something to be wrong:
This book finally explodes some of the myths about the origin of the universe.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Proving and disproving
- actions speak louder than words idiom
- attest
- authenticate
- back sb up
- bear witness (to sth) idiom
- belie
- catch
- colour
- do justice to yourself idiom
- documentary
- evidence
- explosion
- give the lie to sth idiom
- proof
- stick
- testament
- the acid test
- the burden of proof idiom
- undocumented
- unsubstantiated
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Phrasal verb(s)
explode into sth