EXPLOSIVE
Dictionary entry overview: What does explosive mean?
• EXPLOSIVE (noun)
The noun EXPLOSIVE has 1 sense:
1. a chemical substance that undergoes a rapid chemical change (with the production of gas) on being heated or struck
Familiarity information: EXPLOSIVE used as a noun is very rare.
• EXPLOSIVE (adjective)
The adjective EXPLOSIVE has 3 senses:
1. serving to explode or characterized by explosion or sudden outburst
2. liable to lead to sudden change or violence
3. sudden and loud
Familiarity information: EXPLOSIVE used as an adjective is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• EXPLOSIVE (noun)
Meaning:
A chemical substance that undergoes a rapid chemical change (with the production of gas) on being heated or struck
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("explosive" is a kind of...):
chemical; chemical substance (produced by or used in a reaction involving changes in atoms or molecules)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "explosive"):
burster; bursting charge; charge; explosive charge (a quantity of explosive to be set off at one time)
Ballistite; smokeless powder (an explosive (trade name Ballistite) that burns with relatively little smoke; contains pyrocellulose and is used as a propellant)
gunpowder; powder (a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in a 75:15:10 ratio which is used in gunnery, time fuses, and fireworks)
low explosive (an explosive with a low rate of combustion)
high explosive (a powerful chemical explosive that produces gas at a very high rate)
azoimide; HN; hydrazoic acid; hydrogen azide (a colorless explosive liquid that is volatile and poisonous and foul-smelling)
load; payload; warhead (the front part of a guided missile or rocket or torpedo that carries the nuclear or explosive charge or the chemical or biological agents)
impulse explosive; propellant explosive (an explosive that is used to propel projectiles form guns or to propel rockets and missiles or to launch torpedos and depth charges)
explosive mixture (a mixture that is explosive)
explosive compound (a compound that is explosive)
nitramine; tetryl (a yellow crystalline explosive solid that is used in detonators)
Holonyms ("explosive" is a part of...):
explosive device (device that bursts with sudden violence from internal energy)
• EXPLOSIVE (adjective)
Meaning:
Serving to explode or characterized by explosion or sudden outburst
Context examples:
an explosive device / explosive gas / explosive force / explosive violence / an explosive temper
Similar:
detonative (exploding almost instantaneously)
Antonym:
nonexplosive (not explosive)
Meaning:
Liable to lead to sudden change or violence
Synonyms:
explosive; volatile
Context examples:
an explosive issue / a volatile situation with troops and rioters eager for a confrontation
Similar:
unstable (lacking stability or fixity or firmness)
Meaning:
Sudden and loud
Context example:
an explosive laugh
Similar:
sudden (happening without warning or in a short space of time)
