bombshell
Americannoun
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bombshells
plural
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a bomb.
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something or someone having a sudden and sensational effect.
The news of his resignation was a bombshell.
noun
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(esp formerly) a bomb or artillery shell
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a shocking or unwelcome surprise
the news of his death was a bombshell
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informal an attractive girl or woman (esp in the phrase blonde bombshell )
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bombshell
1700–10; 1925–30 bombshell for def. 2; bomb + shell
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Saba coffee shop has become a destination for fans of the Peacock reality show “Love Island USA” after owner Gal Tshnieder was cast as a bombshell.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
It wasn’t a surprise, but it was a bombshell.
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026
Stokes' return hinted normality may resume until his bombshell announcement on Sunday, one of the most extraordinary days in English cricket history.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
“I realized that we had something that was hugely significant, but I didn’t realize the extent of the bombshell until the broadcast,” Bashir recalled in “The Verdict.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
AS IF SHE DIDN’T just drop a bombshell on us, Ama turns and whisks out of the office, closing the door behind her.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
“Love Island USA” Season 8 premieres Tuesday, sans Montgomery, and will feature a number of SoCal bombshells among its cast in Fuji.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
They did not hold any serious bombshells - nor any confirmation of alien life - but it marked the latest clear acknowledgement by the US government that it has investigated sightings of unidentified objects.
From BBC ● May 8, 2026
Two aspects of the 28-point peace plan, in particular, landed like bombshells in Europe’s defense and foreign-policy establishment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 2, 2025
And she thought she had narrowly escaped the bombshells in recent days.
From BBC ● May 29, 2025
But the paper presented these allegations as scandalous bombshells, call-ing them “startling disclosures.”
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
