high explosive

noun

: an explosive (such as TNT) that generates gas with extreme rapidity and has a shattering effect

Examples of high explosive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On the first two missions, DJ’s monitor showed the Ukrainian steppe below as his drone catapulted through the wilderness at upward of 60 miles per hour, strapped with roughly three pounds of high explosives and aimed at destroying Russian vehicles. Yurii Shyvala, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024 The plant performs research and development in high explosives and serves as an interim storage site for plutonium pits removed from dismantled weapons, according to the Department of Energy. USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2024 Most were equipped with triggers on their noses — three small rubber balls on springs — to detonate high explosives. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023 The bomb, which was dropped by German forces in 1942, was estimated to have as much as 1,389 pounds of high explosive and was aged and rusted. Richard Vanderford, WSJ, 15 Dec. 2023 Each Mark 48 carries 650 pounds of high explosives and is about as long and as heavy as a Toyota pickup truck. Alex Hollings, Popular Mechanics, 5 Apr. 2023 Send them stealth bombers, high explosives, send in Seal teams and the tanks. Amanda Morris, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2023 Deep below the Nevada desert, a machine dubbed Scorpius is under construction that will use high explosives to crush plutonium to states that exist just prior to a nuclear explosion. IEEE Spectrum, 18 Oct. 2023 Scientists have used bees to sniff out chemicals associated with cancer and with diabetes on patients’ breath and to detect the presence of high explosives. Stephen Buchmann, The Conversation, 17 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'high explosive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of high explosive was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near high explosive

Cite this Entry

“High explosive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high%20explosive. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

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