explode

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ɪkˈspləʊd/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ɪkˈsploʊd/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(ik splōd′)

Inflections of 'explode' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
explodes
v 3rd person singular
exploding
v pres p
exploded
v past
exploded
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ex•plode /ɪkˈsploʊd/USA pronunciation   v., -plod•ed, -plod•ing. 
  1. Chemistryto (cause to) expand with force and noise;
    to (cause to) burst violently: [no object]Suddenly the bomb exploded.[~ + object]The terrorists exploded the bomb.
  2. to erupt energetically;
    to move or act suddenly and quickly with force: [no object]to explode in laughter.
  3. to show to be wrong;
    discredit;
    disprove:[~ + object]The new findings about the solar system explode the present theories.
See -plaud-, -plod-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
ex•plode  (ik splōd′),USA pronunciation v., -plod•ed, -plod•ing. 
v.i. 
  1. Chemistryto expand with force and noise because of rapid chemical change or decomposition, as gunpowder or nitroglycerine (opposed to implode).
  2. to burst, fly into pieces, or break up violently with a loud report, as a boiler from excessive pressure of steam.
  3. to burst forth violently or emotionally, esp. with noise, laughter, violent speech, etc.:He exploded with rage when contradicted.
  4. Phonetics(of plosives) to terminate the occlusive phase with a plosion. Cf. implode (def. 2).
  5. Sport[Golf.]to play an explosion shot on a golf ball.

v.t. 
  1. to cause (gunpowder, a boiler, etc.) to explode.
  2. to cause to be rejected;
    destroy the repute of;
    discredit or disprove:to explode a theory.
  3. Phoneticsto end with plosion.
  4. Sport[Golf.]to play an explosion shot on (a golf ball).
  5. Show Business[Obs.]to drive (a player, play, etc.) from the stage by loud expressions of disapprobation.
  • Latin explōdere to drive off by clapping, drive away, equivalent. to ex- ex-1 + plod- variant stem of plaudere to clap, beat
  • 1530–40
ex•plod′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
explode /ɪkˈspləʊd/ vb
  1. to burst or cause to burst with great violence as a result of internal pressure, esp through the detonation of an explosive; blow up
  2. to destroy or be destroyed in this manner
  3. (of a gas) to undergo or cause (a gas) to undergo a sudden violent expansion, accompanied by heat, light, a shock wave, and a loud noise, as a result of a fast uncontrolled exothermic chemical or nuclear reaction
  4. (intransitive) to react suddenly or violently with emotion, etc
  5. (intransitive) (esp of a population) to increase rapidly
  6. (transitive) to show (a theory, etc) to be baseless; refute and make obsolete

Compare implodeEtymology: 16th Century: from Latin explōdere to drive off by clapping, hiss (an actor) off, from ex-1 + plaudere to clapexˈploder n
'explode' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
arm - blow - blow up - burst - detonate - dud - explosion - explosive - fragmentation - fulminate - go off - implode - let off - misfire - paintball - set off - shell - spring - squib - supergiant - touch off - activated mine - bomb - bomblet - car bomb - contact mine - cook - crump - demolish - detonator - displode - explodent - explosible - fire - flare - go - go-devil - hibakusha - knell - pinfire - preexplode - time bomb - torpedo - touch - trigger - set - shoot - shrapnel
Collocations: the [bomb, device, fireworks] exploded, a bomb has exploded, [injuring, killing] [100] people, could explode any [second, moment, minute, time], more...

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