TNT
0 antonyms and opposites of TNT, grouped by meaning.
Noun — A powerful yellow crystalline explosive, chemically trinitrotoluene, used in munitions, demolition and mining, and used as the standard unit for measuring explosive yield.
How to use TNT
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Standard in technical, military and news writing. The figurative sense is informal and mostly appears in sport and entertainment commentary.
Etymology
An abbreviation of trinitrotoluene, from tri- "three", nitro- (the nitro chemical group) and toluene, the aromatic hydrocarbon it is made from.
Full origin of TNT →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between TNT and dynamite?
They are different explosives. Dynamite is nitroglycerin absorbed into an inert material, invented by Alfred Nobel; TNT is trinitrotoluene, a distinct compound that is far more stable, will not detonate from a simple flame or shock, and requires a detonator. Dynamite is actually the more powerful of the two by weight.
Why is explosive power measured in tons of TNT?
Because TNT detonates with a consistent, well-measured energy release, roughly 4.184 gigajoules per tonne, which makes it a convenient reference. Saying a bomb had a yield of 15 kilotons means it released the energy of 15,000 tonnes of TNT, not that it contained any.
Is TNT the same as C-4?
No. C-4 is a plastic explosive made mainly from RDX mixed with a binder, which makes it mouldable and more powerful than TNT. TNT is a hard crystalline solid, usually cast or pressed into a charge.