ENGLISH
REFERENCE

TNT

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate tnt Informal

n. a powerful chemical used to make things explode. It is often used in mining, construction, and by the military to blow up rocks or buildings.

n. a yellow, crystalline compound used as a high explosive. It is chemically stable and resistant to friction or shock, requiring a detonator to trigger an explosion.


SIMPLE

The workers used TNT to clear the path for the new tunnel.

CONTEXTUAL

Demolition experts carefully placed sticks of TNT at the base of the old stadium to ensure a controlled collapse.

COMPLEX

While TNT is synonymous with high-yield explosives in popular culture, its industrial utility stems from its relative safety during transport compared to more volatile substances like nitroglycerin.

Synonyms
Origin

All senses by acronymy or initialism formation or by metonymic relation thereto. The third sense is an initialism of Tagalog tago nang tago (literally “hide and hide”).

Usage

Usually treated as uncountable when referring to the substance, but can be countable when referring to specific units or 'sticks' of the explosive.

© 2026 English Reference