dynamite

[ dahy-nuh-mahyt ]

noun

1. a high explosive, originally consisting of nitroglycerin mixed with an absorbent substance, now with ammonium nitrate usually replacing the nitroglycerin.
2. any person or thing having a spectacular effect.

verb (used with object)

, dy·na·mit·ed, dy·na·mit·ing.

1. to blow up, shatter, or destroy with dynamite:

   Saboteurs dynamited the dam.

2. to mine or charge with dynamite.

adjective

1. Informal. creating a spectacular or optimum effect; great; topnotch:

   a dynamite idea; a dynamite crew.

dynamite

/ ˈdaɪnəˌmaɪt /

noun

1. an explosive consisting of nitroglycerine or ammonium nitrate mixed with kieselguhr, sawdust, or wood pulp
2. informal.
   a spectacular or potentially dangerous person or thing

verb

1. tr to mine or blow up with dynamite

dynamite

/ dī′nə-mīt′ /

1. A powerful explosive used in blasting and mining. It typically consists of nitroglycerin and a nitrate (especially sodium nitrate or ammonium nitrate), combined with an absorbent material that makes it safer to handle.

Derived Forms

• ˈdynaˌmiter, noun

Other Words From

• dyna·miter noun
• dy·na·mit·ic [dahy-n, uh, -, mit, -ik], adjective
• dyna·miti·cal·ly adverb
• un·dyna·mited adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dynamite¹

From Swedish dynamit, introduced by Alfred Bernhard Nobel ( def ), its inventor in 1867; dynam-, -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of dynamite¹

C19 (coined by Alfred Nobel): from dynamo- + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

Often taking the heavy-handed approach of detonating dynamite to free specimens, he amassed a collection of fossils representing both the young and the old.

From Science News

For journalists suspicious about China’s handling of the virus, the thread—and those that followed—were dynamite.

From MIT Technology Review

Still, between the dynamite premise and the excellent cast, the show could easily be salvaged.

From Time

The Taglieris, who work in IT and finance, are used to hearing dynamite detonations at least once a month at the plant, the couple said.

From Washington Post

This was way louder and way more powerful than a dynamite blast.

From Washington Post

The world that Black Dynamite lives in is not the most PC place to be in.

From The Daily Beast

Music is a huge part of the tone of Black Dynamite overall—going back to the original 2009 movie on which the series is based.

From The Daily Beast

One strip, Foolish Grandpa and Sour Henry, shows Grandpa being hit on the head by a sandbag and blown up by dynamite.

From The Daily Beast

Jamiroquai's "Canned Heat," which was also featured in Napoleon Dynamite's epic dance scene.

From The Daily Beast

But the poem set off tiny sticks of dynamite behind my eyes.

From The Daily Beast

Dynamite, by the good fortune of invention, came to the revolutionary at the very moment when it was most wanted.

From Project Gutenberg

He had thought he was amusing himself with a toy cannon, and he had fired a charge of dynamite.

From Project Gutenberg

Perhaps he helped to dynamite the barges and drive those Hessians out of town.

From Project Gutenberg

The latter crouched there, frozen, hanging onto his hat as if it were a hunk of dynamite.

From Project Gutenberg

At the bow of this launch was a long spar, and at the end of this spar was a torpedo holding a hundred pounds of dynamite.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• nitroglycerin