bomb
Americannoun
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bombs
plural
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Military. a projectile, formerly usually spherical, filled with a bursting charge and exploded by means of a fuze, by impact, or otherwise, now generally designed to be dropped from an aircraft.
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any similar missile or explosive device used as a weapon, to disperse crowds, etc..
a time bomb;
a smoke bomb.
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Also called volcanic bomb. Geology. a rough spherical or ellipsoidal mass of lava, ejected from a volcano and hardened while falling.
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Meteorology. a weather bomb.
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Football. a long forward pass, especially one to a teammate who scores a touchdown.
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Slang. an absolute failure; fiasco.
The play was a bomb and closed after two performances.
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Computers. a catastrophic program failure or system failure.
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Slang. the bomb, something or someone that is excellent or very impressive.
Her boyfriend is the bomb!
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Chiefly British Slang. an overwhelming success.
The novel is selling like a bomb.
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Jazz. a sudden, unexpected accent or rhythmic figure played by a drummer during a performance.
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a lead or lead-lined container for transporting and storing radioactive materials.
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the bomb,
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nuclear weapons collectively.
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Slang. a powerful automobile or other vehicle.
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Slang. something unpleasant that is unexpected or shocking (often used in combination with the first letter of an offensive or unmentionable word, as in ).
He's always dropping f-bombs.
Then came the bomb about the staff cuts.
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Slang. something unauthorized or illegal that is executed in a stealthy manner, typically having an overwhelming or sensational effect (used in combination, as in ).
verb (used with object)
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bombs,
present (3rd person singular)
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bombed,
past participle, past
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bombing
present participle
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to hurl bombs at or drop bombs upon, as from an airplane; bombard.
The enemy planes bombed the city.
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to explode by means of a bomb or explosive.
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to damage, ruin, defeat, etc., as if with bombs.
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Computers. to deliberately cause (a computer system) to fail with a program written for the purpose.
verb (used without object)
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bombs,
present (3rd person singular)
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bombed,
past participle, past
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bombing
present participle
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to hurl or drop bombs.
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to explode a bomb or bombs.
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Slang. to be or make a complete failure, especially to fail to please or gain an audience (sometimes followed byout ).
His last play bombed on Broadway.
The business bombed out with a $25,000 debt.
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Computers. (of a computer program or system) to fail catastrophically.
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Slang. to spray-paint graffiti over many surfaces in an area, working quickly and using simple forms and designs.
He made his reputation bombing on the east side of town.
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Informal. to move very quickly.
They came bombing through here on their motorcycles at 2 a.m.
noun
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a hollow projectile containing an explosive, incendiary, or other destructive substance, esp one carried by aircraft
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( as modifier )
bomb disposal
a bomb bay
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( in combination )
a bombload
bombproof
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any container filled with explosive
a car bomb
a letter bomb
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a hydrogen or atomic bomb considered as the ultimate destructive weapon
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slang something excellent
it's the bomb
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a round or pear-shaped mass of volcanic rock, solidified from molten lava that has been thrown into the air
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med a container for radioactive material, applied therapeutically to any part of the body
a cobalt bomb
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slang a large sum of money (esp in the phrase make a bomb )
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slang a disastrous failure
the new play was a total bomb
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slang an old or dilapidated motorcar
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American football a very long high pass
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(in rugby union) another term for up-and-under
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informal with great speed or success; very well (esp in the phrase go like a bomb )
verb
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to attack with or as if with a bomb or bombs; drop bombs (on)
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informal (intr; often foll by off, along, etc) to move or drive very quickly
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slang (intr) to fail disastrously; be a flop See also bomb out
the new play bombed
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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bombsimple
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bombssimple
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have bombedperfect
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has bombedperfect
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am bombingprogressive
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are bombingprogressive
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is bombingprogressive
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have been bombingperfect progressive
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has been bombingperfect progressive
Past
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bombedsimple
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had bombedperfect
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was bombingprogressive
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were bombingprogressive
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had been bombingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of bomb
First recorded in 1580–90; earlier bom(b)e, from Spanish bomba (de fuego) “ball (of fire),” akin to bombo “drum,” from Latin bombus “a booming sound,” from Greek bómbos
Vocabulary lists containing bomb
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:
In 2006 it was confirmed that North Korea had successfully conducted an underground nuclear test and was on its way to building a bomb.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
While the majority of its public supports a nuclear South Korea, the government has argued that acquiring the bomb is unnecessary and even harmful to the country's network of alliances.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
“They can kind of go out and carpet bomb and know that they might not be as efficient, but they’re gonna hit the mark. We don’t have that luxury.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Consider his point of view: America is the indefatigable Colossus, an object of awe that put a man on the moon in a decade and produced an atomic bomb in half that time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
In Philadelphia, the FBI had picked up Harry Gold, who’d worked as Fuchs’s courier, delivering stolen bomb plans to the Soviets.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
As Japan marks the anniversary of the 1945 atomic bombs, its leaders are pushing for a renewed debate on nuclear weapons in a challenge to the nation's long-time pacifist stance.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
Several chapters are devoted to Kip’s stories of defusing bombs and saving English lives, all aided by Lord Suffolk’s encouragement.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
Experts estimate that the complex reaches 300 to 450 feet deep beneath solid granite, making it difficult to reach even with the U.S. military’s sophisticated bombs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
Earlier US media reports suggested the deal could allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium in the future - which can be used as fuel for power plants, but also potentially to make nuclear bombs.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Then everyone let go at the same time and the Po-2, heavy with bombs, struggled up from the sandy soil to climb above the pine or birch trees.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
They also came after Israel bombed the disused Abu Duhur airbase in the country's northwest earlier in the week, claiming it wanted to avert Turkish troops deploying to the facility.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
It’s like bringing back old Coke after new Coke bombed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Surviving crews say they were bombed, and detained, by U.S. forces.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
But some of the storied studio's more recent titles, like the alien adventure Elio and Toy Story spin-off Lightyear, have bombed at the box office.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Making matters worse, he’d bombed during their first debate in October, triggering a wave of eleventh-hour anxiety among donors and advisers.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
The trial of a Libyan man over the Lockerbie bombing has been postponed for a third time, after new evidence on the 37-year-old case came to light three days ago.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
“You could end up bombing Paraguay,” Rubio joked.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
The carrier and its embarked aircraft were instrumental to the U.S.’s Operation Epic Fury bombing campaign, and the ship has since participated in the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
"Of course, we need to work toward building a world without nuclear arms," Yoshimura told reporters on the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
“You failed to mention Indochinese casualties, or refugees, or bombing tonnages, which in fact are trending up,” he said.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
