explode
Blow apart suddenly
Explode means to burst violently outward with sudden release of energy: The bomb exploded.
Things that expand rapidly or dramatically also explode: The population exploded after the war.
A person explodes when anger or laughter erupts uncontrollably: She exploded at him.
To explode a theory or myth is to disprove it decisively—to blow it apart.
Cause to explode
- blastSudden forceful burst
- burstBreak apart suddenly
- bombExplosive device or disaster
- shatterFragment violently, suddenly
fragment · disintegrate · rupture · demolish · combustion · ignition · shrapnel · fireworks
Sudden powerful increase
- skyrocketRise sharply and suddenly
- mushroomFleshy fungal body
- boomLoud deep sound
- proliferateReproduce or spread swiftly
escalate · soar · spike · balloon · snowball · multiply · spread · takeoff
Intense, violent anger
- furyIntense violent anger
- outburstSudden emotional release
- temperState of mind
- wrathFierce, punishing anger
erupt · seethe · livid · fuming · blow up · lose it · snap · ire
detonate
Cause to explode
shatter · fragment · disintegrate · rupture · demolish · combustion · ignition · shrapnel · fireworks · cannon
surge
Sudden powerful increase
proliferate · escalate · soar · spike · balloon · snowball · multiply · spread · takeoff · meteoric
rage
Intense, violent anger
wrath · erupt · seethe · livid · fuming · blow up · lose it · snap · ire · indignation
volcano
Earth's fiery vent
pyroclastic · ash · plume · caldera · crater · pumice · lahar · Vesuvius · Krakatoa · Pompeii
myth
Traditional explanatory tale
- theoryExplanatory set of principles
- misconceptionErroneous belief or understanding
- fallacyError in reasoning
disprove · refute · discredit · debunk · expose · invalidate · overturn · challenge · dismantle · puncture
- anger expressionssee red, seeing red, lose your temper, blow a fuse, blow a gasket
- overreactfreak out, panic, blow up, meltdown, tantrum
- ragerage, fury, wrath, enraged, furious
- burst forthgush, erupt, surge, spurt, spew
- intransitivesarrive, come, depart, die, disappear
- violent forceimpact, collision, smash, crash, slam
explodefizzle
Fail after promising start
fizzle out · dud · sputter · peter out · dissipate
explodedefuse
Render harmless
disarm · deactivate · neutralize · fizzle · dud
- nuclear explosionViolent atomic energy release
- population explosionRapid growth in inhabitants
- gas explosionIgnited vapor detonation
- explosive expertOne who handles detonations
- explosive powerDestructive force of detonation
- explosive compoundReactive material releasing energy violently
explosion, explosive, exploded, exploding, explodes, exploders, exploder, explodey, explodable