Word a Day
explode
What does explode mean?
explode (verb): to fly apart with sudden violent force; to blow up, to burst, to detonate, to go off.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you pronounce explode?
/ɪkˈsploʊd/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does explode come from?
First recorded around 1538, from the Latin verb explōdere (“drive out or off by clapping”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Words related to explode
From Princeton WordNet 3.1.
Test yourself: do you know “explode”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “explode” mean?
to be the first to do or achieve (something), preparing the way for others to follow
Not quite: that's what pioneer means.
to fly apart with sudden violent force; to blow up, to burst, to detonate, to go off
Right! That's what “explode” means.
to surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of
Not quite: that's what overcome means.
to allow or permit without explicit approval, usually if it is perceived as negative
Not quite: that's what tolerate means.
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