explosion

B1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ɛkˈsploʊ.ʒən/ UK /ɪkˈspləʊ.ʒən/ See IPA manual

Freq #2414

Meanings

1

noun
A sudden, violent burst of energy that causes damage and noise.

The explosion was heard a mile away.
2

noun
A sudden, large increase in something.

The world has seen a huge population explosion in recent decades.
3

noun
A sudden outburst, such as of emotion or sound.

His joke caused an explosion of laughter.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a sudden, violent burst of... burst blast

More bang boom detonation eruption fulmination

Opposites

implosion

Word family

Forms explosions

Derived forms counterexplosioncryptoexplosionexplosion-proofexplosionlikeexplosionproofexplosionyhyper-explosionhyperexplosionimplosionmicroexplosionnonexplosionsuperexplosion

Related forms explode explosive

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

atomic explosion
an explosion caused by the release of energy from an atomic bomb

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From French explosion, from Latin explōsiōnis, genitive form of explōsio, from explōdo (“to drive out by clapping”), from ex- and plōdo (“to clap or strike”). For more information see explode.

explosion French explōsiōnis Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# explosion

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɛkˈsploʊ.ʒən/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪkˈspləʊ.ʒən/
**Frequency rank:** 2414

## Meanings
1. A sudden, violent burst of energy that causes damage and noise.
2. A sudden, large increase in something.
3. A sudden outburst, such as of emotion or sound.

## Examples
- The explosion was heard a mile away.
- The world has seen a huge population explosion in recent decades.
- His joke caused an explosion of laughter.

## Synonyms
- bang
- blast
- boom
- burst
- detonation
- eruption
- fulmination

## Antonyms
- implosion

## Derived Forms
- counterexplosion
- cryptoexplosion
- explosion-proof
- explosionlike
- explosionproof
- explosiony
- hyper-explosion
- hyperexplosion
- implosion
- microexplosion
- nonexplosion
- superexplosion

## Related Forms
- explode
- explosive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: explosion
- Root: explōsiōnis
- Affix: -sion - act

## Etymology
From French explosion, from Latin explōsiōnis, genitive form of explōsio, from explōdo (“to drive out by clapping”), from ex- and plōdo (“to clap or strike”). For more information see explode.

## AI Etymology
Explosion comes from French explosion, from Latin explōsiōnis, genitive form of explōsio, from explōdo (“to drive out by clapping”), from ex- and plōdo (“to clap or strike”). In current use, the main senses are “A sudden, violent burst of energy that causes damage and noise” and “A sudden, large increase in something”.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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