- 1[countable, uncountable] the sudden violent bursting and loud noise of something such as a bomb exploding; the act of deliberately causing something to explode a bomb/nuclear/gas explosion There were two loud explosions and then the building burst into flames. Bomb Squad officers carried out a controlled explosion of the device. 300 people were injured in the explosion.
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- 2[countable] a large, sudden, or rapid increase in the amount or number of something a population explosion an explosion of interest in learning Japanese an explosion in oil prices
- 3[countable] (formal) a sudden, violent expression of emotion, especially anger synonym outburst Do you know what brought on that explosion? Demonstrators clashed with riot police in an explosion of anger. explode verbexplosion nounexplosive adjective noununexploded adjective
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