explosively
explosively — adverb
1. using, producing, or resulting from the bursting apart of something with great f
using, producing, or resulting from the bursting apart of something with great force, such as a bomb going off.
The old factory came down explosively when engineers set off charges at its base.
verb + explosively for physical destruction
A faulty gas pipe ruptured explosively inside Eli's garage on Tuesday morning.
ruptured + explosively collocation
Miners work carefully because granite sometimes breaks explosively when it is heated too quickly.
The shell landed in the field and detonated explosively just metres from the road.
- violently
wider scope; covers physical force without requiring a burst
- with a bang
informal; usually describes the sound of an explosion
用法筆記
Subject is usually a physical object or substance; the adverb modifies a verb of breaking, falling apart, or detonating. Distinguish from sense 2: here the cause involves an actual explosion or burst pressure, not a metaphor.
2. with the sudden, forceful, or loud quality of an explosion — used for actions an
with the sudden, forceful, or loud quality of an explosion — used for actions and movements that are not actual explosions.
Yumi laughed explosively at the comedian's punchline, startling the diners at the next table.
laughed + explosively for sudden vocal outburst
The sprinter pushed off the blocks explosively and led the field after just two strides.
pushed off + explosively in athletic register
Cold air hit the hot oil, and the pan hissed explosively across the whole kitchen.
Matthew sneezed explosively in the quiet library, and a dozen heads turned at once.
用法筆記
Frequently pairs with verbs of body movement (laugh, sneeze, cough), motion from a standstill (push off, launch, accelerate), or sudden sound. Distinguish from sense 1: nothing actually explodes here — the comparison is to the speed and noise of an explosion.
3. becoming larger, more popular, or more widespread very fast and on a scale no on
becoming larger, more popular, or more widespread very fast and on a scale no one expected.
Online food delivery apps grew explosively in Taiwan during the early months of the pandemic.
grew + explosively for rapid market expansion
Nkechi's short cooking videos spread explosively after one was shared by a famous chef.
spread + explosively for viral content
House prices in the small mountain town rose explosively once the new train station opened.
The number of new members increased explosively in the weeks after the free trial began.
- rapidly
neutral; loses the sense of surprise and scale
- exponentially
stresses a mathematical pattern of growth
用法筆記
Subject is usually a quantity, market, audience, or trend (sales, users, prices, content). Distinguish from sense 2: here the change is over weeks or months, not in a single moment.
4. showing strong emotion, especially anger, by shouting or acting in a sudden, vio
showing strong emotion, especially anger, by shouting or acting in a sudden, violent, and uncontrolled manner.
Walid reacted explosively when he found out his bicycle had been stolen from the courtyard.
reacted + explosively for sudden angry outburst
The coach spoke explosively to the players after they lost the final by ten points.
spoke + explosively in confrontational register
Lara shouted explosively at the driver who had nearly hit her child on the pavement.
Office meetings ended explosively whenever the budget for staff bonuses came up for discussion.
用法筆記
Typically modifies verbs of speaking, reacting, or ending (react, respond, shout, end). Often signals that the anger was uncontrolled and surprised others. Distinguish from sense 2: here the force is emotional, not physical or athletic.
explosively — adjective
1. connected with the making, study, or use of explosions and the materials that pr
connected with the making, study, or use of explosions and the materials that produce them.
Rohan studied the explosively yield of different fertilisers as part of his chemistry project.
rare attributive use in technical writing
The army's explosively forming penetrator is a weapon designed to pierce armoured vehicles at long range.
fixed technical compound: explosively forming penetrator
Engineers ran an explosively driven test to measure how the new steel plate held up under blast pressure.
Safety officers must approve any explosively powered tool before it can be used on the building site.
- blast-related
informal paraphrase; not a single-word substitute
用法筆記
Mostly limited to fixed technical compounds (explosively formed, explosively driven, explosively powered). Rarely used on its own as a normal adjective. Distinguish from sense 3: here the focus is the technology and process, not the substance's tendency to explode.
2. caused by an explosion, or looking and behaving as if produced by one.
caused by an explosion, or looking and behaving as if produced by one.
Doctors removed several explosively injured pieces of bone from the soldier's leg during surgery.
explosively injured + noun in medical-military register
Investigators photographed the explosively scattered debris across a wide section of the runway.
explosively scattered + noun for blast-spread patterns
The painting showed an explosively bright burst of orange and yellow across the centre of the canvas.
Rescue teams sorted through the explosively damaged walls of the hotel after the gas leak.
- blast-damaged
narrower; only for damage from a blast
用法筆記
Almost always appears before a noun in the past-participle pattern 'explosively + verb-ed' (scattered, damaged, formed). Rarely stands alone after 'be'. Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is the result of the blast, not the technology that produces it.
3. of a substance or device, liable to blow up suddenly if it is heated, hit, or ot
of a substance or device, liable to blow up suddenly if it is heated, hit, or otherwise disturbed.
Workers labelled the explosively unstable canisters and moved them to a cooler storage room.
explosively unstable + noun for hazard labelling
Old fireworks become explosively sensitive once moisture has reached the chemical mixture inside.
explosively sensitive + noun for safety warnings
The chemist warned Minh that the powder was explosively reactive when it touched any kind of metal.
Storage rules require that any explosively dangerous goods be kept far away from heat sources.
用法筆記
Mostly safety, chemistry, and military writing. Forms compounds with adjectives of instability (unstable, sensitive, reactive, dangerous). Distinguish from sense 1: here we describe a property of the material, not a process or technology.
4. likely to cause people to react with sudden anger, hatred, or violence.
likely to cause people to react with sudden anger, hatred, or violence.
The mayor avoided the explosively divisive topic of land reform during her speech to farmers.
explosively divisive + noun for political risk wording
Reporters described the leaked memo as explosively damaging to the company's public image.
explosively damaging + noun in journalism register
Nila chose her words carefully because the issue had become an explosively sensitive matter at work.
Court documents revealed an explosively controversial claim about the company's safety record.
- dangerously
weaker; lacks the sense of mass emotional reaction
- highly
neutral intensifier; loses the explosion metaphor
用法筆記
Pairs with adjectives like divisive, sensitive, controversial, damaging — words that already signal social risk. The 'explosively' adds the sense that anger could erupt at any moment. Distinguish from sense 3: here the danger is social, not physical.
explosively — noun
1. a material such as dynamite, TNT, or gunpowder that has been made so that it wil
a material such as dynamite, TNT, or gunpowder that has been made so that it will blow up when something sets it off.
Mining companies must store every explosively in a locked steel container far from the main offices.
countable noun in safety-regulation register
Benjamin's grandfather worked in a factory that made industrial explosively for the construction trade.
explosively + for + industry collocation
Customs officers found a small amount of military-grade explosively hidden inside the wooden crate.
The new explosively was designed to be safer to transport than older types like dynamite.
用法筆記
More commonly written as the noun 'explosive' (without the -ly). Treat 'explosively' as a rare spelling variant in technical and historical writing. Subject of regulation in mining, construction, and military supply chains.