How do you pronounce "explosive"?

In American English: /ɪkˈsploʊsɪv/ (ik-SPLOHS-iv). In British English: /ɪksplˈəʊsɪv/ (ikspl-OHS-iv). In Canadian English: /ɪkˈsploʊsɪv/ (ik-SPLOHS-iv). In Australian English: /ɛksplˈəʊsɪv/ (ehkspl-OHS-iv).

Is "explosive" pronounced differently in American and British English?

Yes. In American English it's pronounced /ɪkˈsploʊsɪv/ (ik-SPLOHS-iv), while in British English it's /ɪksplˈəʊsɪv/ (ikspl-OHS-iv).

How to Pronounce "explosive"

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explosive

regional

/ɪkˈsploʊsɪv/

ik-SPLOHS-iv

Syllable Breakdown

ɪkex·sploʊsplo·ɪvsive

Source

90%confidence📘 CMU Pronouncing Dictionary v0.7b

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Last updated: 2026-02-14