# explosive

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ɛkˈspləʊsɪv/ · frequency rank #7,444

## Definitions
1. Able to, or likely to, explode.
2. Having the character of an explosion.
3. Having the character of an explosion.
4. Rapidly accelerating.
5. Shocking; startling.
6. Easily driven to anger, usually with reference to a person.
7. Synonym of plosive.

## Etymology
From Latin explōs-, stem of the perfect passive participle of explōdō + the suffix -ive.

## Easily confused with
- **expensive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/expensive-vs-explosive)
- **exclusive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/exclusive-vs-explosive)
- **explosion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/explosion-vs-explosive)
- **expansive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/expansive-vs-explosive)

## Common misspellings (13)
`epxlosive`, `exlposive`, `expllosive`, `exploisve`, `explosiev`, `explosivve`, `explossive`, `explosvie`, `explsoive`, `expolsive`, `expplosive`, `exxplosive`, `xeplosive`

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