What does "gunpowder" mean?
An explosive mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), charcoal and sulfur; formerly used in gunnery but now mostly used in fireworks.
Gunpowder
/ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An explosive mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), charcoal and sulfur; formerly used in gunnery but now mostly used in fireworks.
- Grammar: gunpowder is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: ancient gunpowder, black powder, dutch poeder origin, dynamite.
- Useful contrasts: modern smokeless powder, nonexplosive.
- Usage evidence: Gunpowder needs to be handled very carefully.
How to use "gunpowder"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "gunpowder" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "gunpowder" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "gunpowder" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "gunpowder" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "gunpowder" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ancient gunpowder" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "gunpowder", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An explosive mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), charcoal and sulfur; formerly used in gunnery but now mostly used in fireworks. countable, uncountable
"They have been a bold, heroic, and purely self dependent nation, never having either courted,—or been subdued by—other Tribes or Europeans. But what early mind—a power—could face gunpowder and the firelocks? Hence their annihilation!"
- 2 Idli podi/milagai podi; ground-up dry spices mixed with oil and ghee and served alongside idli or dosa. India, informal, uncountable
"Some restaurants try and give their dosas the "ethnic" touch by slipping along a small dish of mulaga podi-gunpowder mixed with oil as well, but that isn't always enough."
- 3 a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in a 75:15:10 ratio which is used in gunnery, time fuses, and fireworks wordnet
- 4 Ellipsis of gunpowder tea. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To destroy with gunpowder. transitive
"[…] he was […] never getting into quarrels with his neighbors and gunpowdering them out of house and home. His subjects loved him."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
modern smokeless powdernonexplosive
Example
"Gunpowder needs to be handled very carefully."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "gunpowder"?
Common synonyms include: ancient gunpowder, black powder, dutch poeder origin, dynamite, explosive, fine powder use.
How do you use "gunpowder" in a sentence?
Gunpowder needs to be handled very carefully.
How do you pronounce "gunpowder"?
Pronounced /ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From gun + powder.
Etymology 2
Possibly due to its smell resembling gunpowder during the British Raj.