verb

explode

ik-SPLOHD/ɪkˈspləʊd/

To burst apart suddenly and forcefully.

The watermelon explodes into flying pieces of rind and juice.

A ripe watermelon bursts outward into flying rind pieces and juice in an empty outdoor setting.

Etymology

Clapping someone out originally meant noisily driving an actor offstage. The idea shifted to driving something out with sudden noise, then to bursting violently or breaking into sudden activity.

In context

Devex0:16

so it's set to explode and certainly gaming is driving a lot of that but we imagine a lot more people are going to be in the virtual reality space

Witnessing global development through virtual reality

More examples

The balloon exploded with a sharp bang.
Fireworks are exploding above the harbor.
The bomb squad exploded the device in an empty field.

Forms

explode · explodes · exploded · exploding

explosion noun — A sudden, forceful bursting apart.

explosive adjective — Able or likely to explode.

Similar words

burst: Often describes breaking open from pressure, without extreme force.
detonate: Specifically describes an explosive charge going off or being triggered.
shatter: Emphasizes breaking into many pieces, often from an impact.