explosives
explosives — adjective
- explosivespositive
- more explosivescomparative
- most explosivessuperlative
1. describes a substance or material that can blow up or catch fire very easily wit
describes a substance or material that can blow up or catch fire very easily with a sudden release of heat and gas
The miners stored the explosive material in a sealed metal container underground.
collocation: explosive material / explosive substance
Firefighters warned that the leaking gas inside the old building was highly explosive.
pattern: highly explosive (adverb + adj)
Trucks carrying explosive chemicals must display warning signs on all sides.
Hari checked the safety data sheet before handling the explosive powder in the laboratory.
Several barrels of explosive liquid in the basement made the factory fire much worse.
- flammable
focuses on catching fire rather than blowing up; narrower range of risk
- volatile
describes a substance that evaporates and ignites easily; often used for liquids
- combustible
formal term for something that can burn; not necessarily as sudden as explosive
- non-flammable
will not catch fire under normal conditions
- stable
will not react or explode under normal handling
用法筆記
Frequently used with nouns naming physical substances (material, chemical, gas, liquid, powder). This sense is the most literal and commonly tested in safety contexts.
常見錯誤
2. describes a sound that is sudden, very loud, and often startling, like a bomb go
describes a sound that is sudden, very loud, and often startling, like a bomb going off
An explosive crack from the engine room sent everyone rushing toward the stairs.
collocation: explosive crack / explosive bang / explosive roar
Lotte covered her ears when explosive applause filled the concert hall after the final piece.
The old boiler burst with an explosive roar that shook the whole apartment building.
Fireworks made an explosive cracking sound while lighting up the night sky over the harbour.
- deafening
emphasises that the sound is painfully loud
- thunderous
suggests a deep, rumbling loudness like thunder
- ear-splitting
informal; describes a very high-pitched, piercing loud sound
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense does not describe actual explosion risk, only the auditory quality. Typical collocates: crack, bang, roar, boom, applause, sound.
常見錯誤
3. describes a situation, mood, or emotion that is very tense and likely to turn vi
describes a situation, mood, or emotion that is very tense and likely to turn violent or uncontrolled at any moment
The political situation in the region remains explosive after the disputed election results.
collocation: explosive situation / explosive mood / explosive atmosphere
Iris tried to calm the explosive argument between the two drivers after the minor accident.
Tensions in the meeting became explosive when management announced the job cuts.
The crowd's mood turned explosive after the referee made a highly controversial decision.
Neighbours described the atmosphere inside the house as explosive long before the fight broke out.
用法筆記
Commonly used in news reports about politics, protests, or domestic conflict. Unlike sense 1, there is no physical substance that could explode — the 'explosion' refers to an outburst of anger or violence.
常見錯誤
4. describes a very large, fast, and sudden increase in number, amount, or size — f
describes a very large, fast, and sudden increase in number, amount, or size — for example, in population, prices, or business activity
The country saw an explosive growth in smartphone usage over just two years.
collocation: explosive growth / explosive increase / explosive rise
Online shopping experienced an explosive rise during the early months of the pandemic.
Renting a city-centre apartment has seen an explosive increase in cost this year.
Ilan's small delivery company enjoyed explosive growth after signing a deal with a major retailer.
The university reported an explosive rise in applications from international students this year.
用法筆記
Almost always paired with a noun denoting a positive or neutral upward trend (growth, rise, increase, surge). It is rarely used with negative trends such as 'drop' or 'decline'.
常見錯誤
5. describes an athlete's ability to suddenly produce a great amount of speed, forc
describes an athlete's ability to suddenly produce a great amount of speed, force, or power during a movement — for example, jumping, sprinting, or throwing
Kwame's explosive start out of the blocks helped him win the hundred-metre race.
collocation: explosive start / explosive move / explosive power
The basketball player is known for his explosive jumps when going for a rebound.
Mayumi trained for six months to improve her explosive power on the tennis court.
A good rugby player needs both endurance and explosive strength for short bursts of running.
The coach designed special exercises to increase the team's explosive acceleration on the field.
- powerful
general term for great strength; does not emphasise the suddenness
- dynamic
describes active, energetic movement; broader than explosive
- fast-twitch
technical term referring to muscle fibres used for short, powerful movements
- slow
lacking speed or quickness
- endurance-based
focused on sustained effort rather than short bursts
用法筆記
Domain-specific to sports training and fitness. Used interchangeably with 'power' or 'fast-twitch' ability. Not used outside athletic contexts.
explosives — noun
- explosivessingular
- explosivesesplural
1. any material or tool designed to produce a sudden violent burst of energy throug
any material or tool designed to produce a sudden violent burst of energy through a rapid chemical reaction, used for blasting rock, demolishing buildings, or military purposes
Police found a bag of explosives hidden in the abandoned warehouse near the river.
countable plural: bag of explosives / stockpile of explosives
Military engineers carefully removed the old explosives from the training site.
The construction crew used industrial explosives to break through the mountain rock.
Femi was trained to handle explosives safely during his service in the army.
Strict laws control who can buy and store explosives in most countries around the world.
- dynamite
a specific type of explosive made from nitroglycerin; narrower in meaning
- explosive device
a constructed object designed to explode, such as a bomb
- charge
technical term for a measured amount of explosive used in blasting
- dud
an explosive device that fails to explode
- fire-retardant
a substance that resists burning or explosion
用法筆記
Usually used in the plural form 'explosives' even when referring to a single type. The singular 'explosive' is possible but less common in general references (e.g. 'The truck was carrying explosives').