Explosive describes something that can blow up or burst apart violently and suddenly, releasing tremendous energy, heat, and force. Dynamite is explosive. So is gasoline when it's mixed with air in just the right way. Fireworks are carefully controlled explosives designed to create beautiful displays in the sky.

The word can also describe situations or emotions that feel like they might explode. A classroom might have an explosive argument where students suddenly start shouting. A basketball game becomes explosive when both teams start scoring rapidly. An athlete with explosive speed can accelerate so quickly it's startling.

When something grows explosively, it increases dramatically and suddenly, like a video that goes viral or a population of rabbits that multiplies rapidly in an area with no predators.

Scientists use the word to describe chemical reactions that happen incredibly fast. An explosive reaction releases its energy in milliseconds, creating the blast that makes explosions so powerful and dangerous. That's why explosives require such careful handling: all that energy stored in a small package, waiting to be released all at once.

The noun form explosive can also mean a substance that can explode, like dynamite or gunpowder. A related noun is explosion: the actual event when something blows up. A person known for angry outbursts might be described as having an explosive temper.