explosion

UK: /ɪkˈspləʊʒ^ən/ US: /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/ ,(ik splō′zhən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•plo•sion /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/   n. [countable]

1. an act or instance of exploding.
2. the noise of an explosion.

See -plaud-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•plo•sion  (ik splō′zhən), n. 

1. an act or instance of exploding;
   a violent expansion or bursting with noise, as of gunpowder or a boiler (opposed to implosion).
2. the noise itself:
   The loud explosion woke them.
3. a violent outburst, as of laughter or anger.
4. a sudden, rapid, or great increase:
   a population explosion.
5. Automotive the burning of the mixture of fuel and air in an internal-combustion engine.
6. Phonetics plosion.

• Latin explōsiōn- (stem of explōsiō), equivalent. to explōs(us) driven off by clapping (past participle of explōdere to explode) + -iōn- -ion
• 1615–25

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

explosion / ɪkˈspləʊʒən/ noun

1. the act or an instance of exploding
2. a violent release of energy resulting from a rapid chemical or nuclear reaction, esp one that produces a shock wave, loud noise, heat, and light
   Compare implosion1
3. a sudden or violent outburst of activity, noise, emotion, etc
4. a rapid increase, esp in a population
5. another word for plosion

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin explōsiō, from explōdere to explode