1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
there's been an explosive interest in the sport since the Olympics
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
one of the most explosive storms to hit that area of the coast in some time
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explosive
Alex Stone, ABC News, 18 July 2025
Confetti poppers with less than a quarter of a grain of explosive.
—Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 17 July 2025
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2025
Four-time Grammy winning duo For King and Country will bring their explosive Christmas performances back to Nashville's Opry House for the fifth year in a row.
—Melonee Hurt, The Tennessean, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for explosive
Adjective
Three Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies assigned to the arson explosives detail were killed in an explosion at a law enforcement training facility on Friday, the sheriff said.
—Alex Stone, ABC News, 18 July 2025
Confetti poppers with less than a quarter of a grain of explosive.
—Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 17 July 2025
Noun
Baugh returns kicks for the Gators, while Wilson, who is back from hip surgery, is a an explosive runner who can field punts or gain yards after the catch or on trick plays.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2025
Four-time Grammy winning duo For King and Country will bring their explosive Christmas performances back to Nashville's Opry House for the fifth year in a row.
—Melonee Hurt, The Tennessean, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for explosive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explosive
Adjective
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The finish is long and intense, with lingering orchard fruits and spices.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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That’s due in part to the fluidity and intense candor of each member’s writing.—
Leah Lu,
Rolling Stone,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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The two got married, had a baby, and started a quiet life together far away from his violent past.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
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As droves of tourists continue to flock to Spain for European summer vacations, the nation’s emergency responders are dealing with the aftermath of a violent wave of flash flooding in nearly half of the country’s 50 provinces.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
14 July 2025
Noun
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Sky hit an insane Sunset Flip bomb to the outside on Ripley.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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Manager Aaron Boone, however, figured that hitting bombs against his former team must have felt nice for Bellinger.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Critics question whether a battery swap network—capital intensive, dependent on fleet adoption, and distributed across so many different markets—can scale profitably.—
Clay Chandler,
Fortune,
19 July 2025
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An intensive moisturiser that delivers maximum hydration, Revision’s DermProtect Barrier Defense™ also replenishes natural lipids, and enhances moisture retention.—
Angela Lei,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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An inside look at the birth and power of ferocious storms Lowry credits the current warming in the Atlantic to a weakening of the Bermuda High, a pattern of high pressure that expands and shrinks over the western Atlantic and heavily influences hurricane movement.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
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His was a time of global conflict, consumerist excess, and ferocious climate change.—
Daniel Seifert,
JSTOR Daily,
16 July 2025
Noun
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Speaking from the visitor’s dugout at Busch Stadium ahead of Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, DeBartolo first acknowledged fan vexation as the Nationals, who are 37-53 and in last place in the National League East, torpedo toward another dismal season.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
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Distribution also continues to increase through its network of retailers, including Better Baseball, Hit After Hit, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Bases Loaded; meanwhile, the torpedo bat mania triggered April sales to surge more than 100% versus the prior year.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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The two have one of the fiercest rivals in college football known as the Iron Bowl.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
19 July 2025
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He’s also ruled out the Chinese mainland due to fierce competition, entrenched EV incumbents, and a power grid so advanced that ultra-fast charging is widely available—making battery swapping largely unnecessary.—
Clay Chandler,
Fortune,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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Wander the ruins of Cristóvão de Moura’s palace, a poignant echo of Portugal’s turbulent entanglement with Spanish rule.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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All died in the turbulent waters of Lake Michigan while vacationing in South Haven, where public outrage over the lack of lifeguards has been building.—
Tresa Baldas,
Freep.com,
21 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Explosive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explosive. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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