explode

/ɪkˈspləʊd/

//ɪkˈspləʊd// verb

"explode" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“explode” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,605 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#9,605
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To fly apart with sudden violent force; to blow up, to burst, to detonate, to go off.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

explode vs exposé
57% similar
explode vs explore
86% similar
explode vs exploit
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for explode
PropertyValue
Headwordexplode
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪkˈspləʊd/
Letters7
Frequency rank#9,605
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “explode” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). explode lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for explode is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪkˈspləʊd/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,605 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for explode, with forms such as "epxlode", "exlpode", and "expldoe". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "exposé", "explore", "exploit", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: First recorded around 1538, from the Latin verb explōdere (“drive out or off by clapping”). The meaning was originally theatrical, "to drive an actor off the stage by making noise," hence meaning to "to drive out" or "to reject". From ex- (“out”) + plaudere… The correct English form is explode, spelled E-X-P-L-O-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To fly apart with sudden violent force; to blow up, to burst, to detonate, to go off.
  2. 2
    To destroy with an explosion.
  3. 3
    To make a violent or emotional outburst; to suddenly give expression to powerful and often negative or unpleasant emotion, especially anger.
  4. 4
    To increase suddenly.
  5. 5
    To increase arbitrarily or boundlessly.
  6. 6
    To destroy violently or abruptly.
  7. 7
    To create an exploded view of.
  8. 8
    To disprove or debunk.
  9. 9
    To emerge suddenly.
  10. 10
    To ejaculate.
  11. 11
    To break (a delimited string of text) into several smaller strings by removing the separators.
  12. 12
    To decompress (data) that was previously imploded.
  13. 13
    To open all doors and hatches on an automobile.
  14. 14
    Of a die, to produce the highest face result and consequently reroll.

Etymology

First recorded around 1538, from the Latin verb explōdere (“drive out or off by clapping”). The meaning was originally theatrical, "to drive an actor off the stage by making noise," hence meaning to "to drive out" or "to reject". From ex- (“out”) + plaudere (“to clap; to applaud”). In English it used to mean to "drive out with violence and sudden noise" (from around 1660), and later meaning to "go off with a loud noise" (from around 1790). The sense of "bursting with destructive force" is first recorded around 1882.

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: epxlode,exlpode,expldoe,expllode,explodde,exploed,expolde,expplode,exxplode,xeplode

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of explode - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

epxlode2exlpode2expldoe2expllode1explodde1exploed2expolde2expplode1
Edit distance from "explode"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "explode"?
"explode" is spelled E-X-P-L-O-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈspləʊd/.
What does "explode" mean?
As a verb, "explode" means: To fly apart with sudden violent force; to blow up, to burst, to detonate, to go off.
What words are commonly confused with "explode"?
"explode" is commonly confused with "exposé", "explore", "exploit". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "explode"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "explode" is /ɪkˈspləʊd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "explode"?
First recorded around 1538, from the Latin verb explōdere (“drive out or off by clapping”). The meaning was originally theatrical, "to drive an actor off the stage by making noise," hence meaning to "to drive out" or "to reject". From ex- (“out”) ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “explode”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-X-P-L-O-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪkˈspləʊd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “exposé” - see the side-by-side comparison. explode vs exposé
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list