# detonate

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈdɛtəneɪt/ · frequency rank #29,627

## Definitions
1. To explode, blow up
2. To explode, blow up
3. To cause to explode.
4. To express sudden anger.

## Etymology
First attested in 1729; either borrowed from French détoner or directly from Latin dētonātus, perfect passive participle of dētonō (“to thunder down (strongly); (figuratively, of a person) to thunder, speak threateningly, to rage; to stop thundering”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- (“off, from”) + tonō (“to thunder”)). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tenh₂-. The current interlingual meaning seems to be a new formation in postclassical times (to thunder → make a large noise → explode), compare explode.

## Easily confused with
- **donate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/detonate-vs-donate)
- **detonator** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/detonate-vs-detonator)
- **decorate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decorate-vs-detonate)
- **desolate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/desolate-vs-detonate)

## Common misspellings (11)
`ddetonate`, `deotnate`, `detnoate`, `detoante`, `detonaet`, `detonatte`, `detonnate`, `detontae`, `dettonate`, `dteonate`, `edtonate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/detonate