Words / B1

ik-SPLOHD/ɪkˈspləʊd/

To explode is to burst with force, or to increase suddenly: a pipe exploded; costs exploded. Explosion is the noun. Blow up is everyday. Do not mix with exploit (already in the dictionary). Gas pipes and sudden price rises both explode in news English.

Meaning

To burst with force; also to increase very suddenly (costs exploded).

Examples

• “A gas pipe exploded behind the high-street shops.”
• “Enrolment exploded after the fee cut, which is the sudden-increase sense.”

Good to know

explode; costs / numbers explode. Noun: explosion. Everyday: blow up. Mix-up: exploit. News: gas explosion; prices explode.

New