explosive

Sayek-SPLOH-sivUS/ɛkˈsploʊsɪv/UK/ɛkˈspləʊsɪv//ekˈspləʉsɪv/

9 meanings of explosive

1
adjective
Able to blow up suddenly with great force.
Like a balloon filled with too much air: one small push and it bursts.
The old shells were still explosive after many years in storage.
Firefighters warned that the gas leak had made the whole building explosive.
Similarvolatile, unstable, combustible
Oppositeinert, nonflammable, implosive
Note
2
nouncountable or uncountable
A material made to blow up, used in mining, building, or war.
Like the powder packed inside a firework that makes it go bang.
The miners used a powerful explosive to break apart the rock.
Police found explosives hidden in the back of the truck.
3
adjectivefiguratively
So shocking or surprising that it gets a strong reaction.
Like news so big that everyone gasps at the same time.
The report made some explosive claims about the mayor.
Her speech was explosive and left the whole room stunned.
Similarshocking, sensational, startling, damning
4
adjectivefiguratively
Growing or speeding up very fast.
Like a small fire that spreads across a dry field in minutes.
The town saw explosive growth after the factory opened.
The app had explosive success in its first month.
Similarrapid, dramatic, exponential, meteoric, runaway
Oppositeslow, gradual, sluggish, modest
Note
5
adjectiveslang
Quick to get very angry, often without warning.
Like a pot that boils over the moment it gets too hot.
Her boss had an explosive temper that scared everyone in the office.
He gets explosive whenever people interrupt him.
Similarvolatile, fiery, temperamental, hotheaded, irascible
Oppositecalm, placid, easygoing, mild
Note
6
adjective
Sudden and violent, like a blast.
Like the loud burst of sound when a balloon pops.
The crowd let out an explosive cheer when the team scored.
There was an explosive bang as the heavy door slammed shut.
Similarsudden, powerful, dynamic, violent
Oppositesluggish, gentle
7
adjective
Describing a computer pattern rule that keeps growing forever in ways no one can predict.
Like a few drops of dye that keep spreading through water and never stop.
The simulation used an explosive rule that never settled down.
Researchers watched how explosive patterns spread across the grid.
Note

Less common meanings

8
adjectivearchaic
Describing a speech sound made by blocking air and then letting it out fast, like p or t.
Like the little puff of air you feel on your hand when you say the letter p.
The teacher explained how explosive sounds are formed in the mouth.
Children often learn explosive consonants like p and b quite early.
Similarplosive
Note
9
noundatedcountable
A speech sound made by stopping air and then letting it out fast, like p or t.
Like the tiny pop of air when you say the p in 'pop.'
The sound at the start of the word 'top' is an explosive.
The words of these songs were either without meaning, or derived from an idiom with which Watt, a very fair linguist, had no acquaintance. The open a sound was predominant, and the explosives k and g.
1953, Samuel Beckett, WattHere, explosives means speech sounds made by stopping air and letting it out fast.
Similarplosive, stop
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of explosive apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin explōdō, plus the ending -ive.