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:
Beach waves, bombshell, Targaryen-inspired twists, luscious locks and a tousled bob.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
The report commissioned by Apollo, which came to be known as the Dechert report for the law firm that produced it, dropped the bombshell that Black had actually paid Epstein $158 million.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
In bombshell interviews and tell-all documentaries, the American former actor has never hidden how difficult she found things following her 2018 fairytale wedding to Harry.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
Viewers were surprised early in the series when Kavan, who was sent in as a bombshell, was revealed to be the brother of day-one contestant Aidan Murphy.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
As soon as he had finished his unassuming report, however, everyone in the audience knew that a bombshell had exploded in the world of Joshua Lederberg.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
The calming locales both complement and contradict the plot’s revelations, which are hardly bombshells but do speak to how well-to-do families labor to shove inconvenient skeletons into the closet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 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
When the news broke and Agar was presented with his baggy green cap by Glenn McGrath, Cricket Australia's own website called it "one of the biggest Ashes bombshells in history".
From BBC ● Nov. 18, 2025
But the paper presented these allegations as scandalous bombshells, call-ing them “startling disclosures.”
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
