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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explosive
Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2025
Ball was reportedly in Washington, D.C. awaiting trial for his actions in the Capitol riot — including wounding police with an explosive device — when Trump granted pardons to more than 1,500 convicts involved in sacking the building.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025
John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
British soldiers used the device to scour the minefield for explosives.
—IEEE Spectrum, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for explosive 
Adjective
Trump issues sweeping pardons and commutations for Jan. 6 rioters
Ball was among the few defendants being held pretrial in connection with his Jan. 6 case, after prosecutors accused him of using an explosive device to assault officers trying to protect the Capitol in the Lower West End Tunnel.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2025
Ball was reportedly in Washington, D.C. awaiting trial for his actions in the Capitol riot — including wounding police with an explosive device — when Trump granted pardons to more than 1,500 convicts involved in sacking the building.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025
Noun
Merritt McAlinden, who had landed at Utah Beach on D Day and gone through the Battle of the Bulge, knew his way around what had come to be known as commercial explosives applications.
—John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
British soldiers used the device to scour the minefield for explosives.
—IEEE Spectrum, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for explosive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explosive
Adjective
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Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters In an apparent ending to weeks of intense speculation, the White House confirmed Friday that President Donald Trump will be leveling aggressive tariffs this weekend on major U.S. trading partners.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
31 Jan. 2025
-
One night, Casto got into an intense discussion with Phil Mercier, the manager of the Legion, in the Legion’s upstairs kitchen.—
Chelsea Edgar,
The New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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After the end of the apartheid regime, Tutu also served as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was established to investigate acts of violence committed both by government forces and violent activists.—
Joanne M. Pierce,
The Conversation,
28 Jan. 2025
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The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is intent on changing the script of American cities plagued by crime by implementing policy changes that have led to violent crime taking a tumble.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
Fox News,
28 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The intrigue: Pick between traditional tacos or twists on birria, including birria bombs, birria ramen and a birriamelt.—
Tasha Tsiaperas,
Axios,
28 Jan. 2025
-
His resuming delivery of large bombs, meanwhile, is a break with then-President Biden, who halted their delivery in May as part of an effort to keep Israel from launching an all-out assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.—
Will Weissert and Zeke Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The initial iteration of the program, launched with partners Nike and Right to Dream, gave six Ghanaian women the chance to participate in a three-month intensive coaches training experience.—
Vitas Carosella,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
-
In 2002, the Israeli military occupied the camp after 10 days of intensive fighting, according to the UN, during which time more than 400 houses were destroyed and over a quarter of the camp’s population was displaced.—
Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Defensive standouts Bruce Smith and Derrick Thomas were ferocious competitors.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
23 Jan. 2025
-
The latter, which begins at Second and Market Streets, circles Union Square and ends at Kearny Street and Columbus Ave., includes floats, ferocious lions, firecrackers and a 288-foot long Golden Dragon.—
Jackie Burrell,
The Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Just the forward battery compartment and the torpedo compartment.—
David Szondy,
New Atlas,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Browse more than 100 independent specialty shops and watch artists work at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, an artists’ collective located in a former WWII torpedo factory.—
Linnea Bailey,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Just one decade later, he's become one of Meta's fiercest competitors BYMarco Quiroz-Gutierrez January 15, 2025 7 hours ago Personal Finance A woman purchased a vacant Hawaiian lot for about $22,000.—
Chloe Berger,
Fortune,
20 Jan. 2025
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Rubio was a fierce Trump critic during the contest for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.—
Laura Kelly,
The Hill,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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This data supports the growing trend in investing in collectables and historical artefacts, which are more likely to hold and increase their value in turbulent financial markets than other traditional forms of investment.—
Laia Farran Graves,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
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Playing well at Torrey Pines could be another building block, after missing the cut during his turbulent 2024.—
Bryce Miller,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near explosive
Cite this Entry
“Explosive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explosive. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.
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