explode
B2Neutral (used across formal, informal, and technical contexts)
Definition
Meaning
To burst or shatter violently and noisily as a result of rapid combustion, excessive internal pressure, or another violent process.
To burst forth suddenly and dramatically; to increase rapidly; to show sudden violent emotion; to prove a theory or belief wrong.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word encompasses both literal/physical destruction and figurative/metaphorical outbursts or rapid increases. The figurative sense of 'proving false' often appears in academic contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The literal and figurative uses are identical. The phrasal verb 'blow up' is slightly more common in everyday American speech for the literal meaning.
Connotations
Identical connotations of suddenness, violence, and force in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparatively frequent in both. Slight preference in American English for 'blow up' in casual contexts for physical explosions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] explodes[Subject] explodes [Object] (rare, archaic: 'to explode a bomb')[Subject] explodes into/with [Noun Phrase] (e.g., exploded into flames)It exploded that [Clause] (journalistic)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “explode in someone's face”
- “explode a bombshell”
- “explode the myth”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe rapid, often unsustainable growth (e.g., 'Sales exploded after the campaign').
Academic
Common in the social sciences and history to describe sudden social change or the disproving of established theories (e.g., 'His research exploded the prevailing hypothesis').
Everyday
Describes sudden loud noises, emotional outbursts, or rapid increases (e.g., 'The tyre exploded', 'He exploded with rage').
Technical
In physics/engineering, refers to a rapid expansion with release of energy; in computing, to separate data elements (e.g., 'explode a string into an array').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The old boiler could explode at any moment.
- The manager absolutely exploded when he saw the mistake.
- The myth that mobile phones cause petrol station fires has been thoroughly exploded.
American English
- The fireworks are going to explode any second now.
- Online enrollment for the course exploded overnight.
- The prosecutor's question exploded like a bomb in the quiet courtroom.
adverb
British English
- The fire spread explosively through the dry timber.
- He reacted explosively to the news.
American English
- The population grew explosively in the 1990s.
- The situation changed explosively after the video was leaked.
adjective
British English
- The explosive device was safely detonated.
- She has an explosive temper.
American English
- The team's explosive offense won the game.
- The report had explosive implications.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The balloon will explode if you blow too much air into it.
- He exploded with laughter when he heard the joke.
- A bomb exploded in the city centre, but no one was hurt.
- The crowd exploded into applause at the end of the performance.
- Social media use has exploded among older demographics in recent years.
- The scientist's new findings exploded the long-held theory about the disease's origin.
- The peace talks exploded into violence following the assassination.
- Her carefully constructed argument was exploded by a single piece of contradictory evidence from the archives.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a closed PLODE of dynamite. When you EX-it (ex-), it blows up. EX + PLODE = explode.
Conceptual Metaphor
ANGER IS A PRESSUREIZED CONTAINER (He exploded). RAPID INCREASE IS AN EXPLOSION (The population exploded).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'explode' for emotional 'breakdowns' or 'snapping' (use 'break down' or 'snap').
- Do not translate "взорвать" as "explode" when you are the agent (e.g., 'He exploded the bridge' is odd; use 'blew up' or 'detonated').
- "Explode into laughter" is correct, but "explode with laughter" is more common than the direct Russian calque.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *'The argument was exploded between them.' (Correct: 'The argument exploded among them.' or 'They exploded in argument.')
- Incorrect: *'He exploded the balloon with a pin.' (Grammatically possible but archaic/formal; 'He popped the balloon' is natural.)
- Incorrect: *'She exploded crying.' (Correct: 'She exploded in tears.' or 'She burst out crying.')
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'explode' used in a purely figurative sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Explode' implies a more violent, noisy, and often destructive release of force or energy, often involving fire or combustion. 'Burst' is gentler and more general, meaning to break open suddenly from internal pressure (e.g., a pipe bursts, a bubble bursts).
Rarely in modern English. The transitive use ('to explode a bomb') is dated or technical. The standard pattern is intransitive ('The bomb exploded'). To indicate an agent, use 'detonate', 'blow up', or 'set off'.
No. While often negative (explosions, anger), it can be positive or neutral: 'explode with joy', 'explode in popularity', 'applause exploded'.
It means to conclusively prove that a widely held belief is false, often with dramatic or surprising evidence that shatters the myth completely.