detonation
n. C / Un. the act of making a bomb or explosive go off. It is the exact moment when something explodes with great force.
n. the action of causing a bomb or explosive device to explode. Refers specifically to a rapid, supersonic combustion process that creates a high-pressure shock wave.
The detonation of the old building was scheduled for Sunday morning.
Engineers carefully calculated the timing of the detonation to ensure the bridge collapsed safely into the river.
The sudden detonation of the primary charge triggered a chain reaction that completely leveled the industrial facility within seconds, leaving investigators to piece together the cause of the failure.
From French détonation; equivalent to detonate + -ion.
Often used as an uncountable noun for the process, but countable when referring to a specific instance or event.