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Combustible vs Explosive - What's the difference?

combustible | explosive |

As adjectives the difference between combustible and explosive

is that combustible is capable of burning while explosive is with the capability to, or likely to, explode.

As nouns the difference between combustible and explosive

is that combustible is a material that is capable of burning while explosive is substance.

combustible

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Capable of burning
    • Dumping fertilizer on top of whatever mysterious goop was in the storage tank created a combustible mix which caught on fire.
  • * South
    • Sin is to the soul like fire to combustible matter.
  • (figurative) Easily kindled or excited; quick; fiery; irascible.
  • * Washington Irving
    • Arnold was a combustible character.

    Antonyms

    * incombustible

    Related terms

    * combustibility * combustion

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A material that is capable of burning.

    • explosive

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • substance.

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • With the capability to, or likely to, explode.
  • Having the character of an explosion.
    • explosive fire
  • (slang) Easily driven to anger, usually with reference to a person.
    • He has an explosive personality.