bombard

American  

[bom-bahrd, buhm-, bom-bahrd] / bɒmˈbɑrd, bəm-, ˈbɒm bɑrd /

verb (used with object)

1. to attack or batter with artillery fire.

2. to attack with bombs.

3. to assail vigorously.

   to bombard the speaker with questions.

   Synonyms:

   besiege, hound, harass, beset

4. Physics. to direct high energy particles or radiations against.

   to bombard a nucleus.

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noun

1. the earliest kind of cannon, originally throwing stone balls.

2. Nautical. bomb ketch.

3. an English leather tankard of the 18th century and earlier, similar to but larger than a blackjack.

4. Obsolete. a leather jug.

bombard British  

verb

1. to attack with concentrated artillery fire or bombs

2. to attack with vigour and persistence

   the boxer bombarded his opponent with blows to the body

3. to attack verbally, esp with questions

   the journalists bombarded her with questions

4. physics to direct high-energy particles or photons against (atoms, nuclei, etc) esp to produce ions or nuclear transformations

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noun

1. an ancient type of cannon that threw stone balls

Other Word Forms

• bombarder noun
• bombardment noun

Etymology

Origin of bombard

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English (noun), Medieval Latin bombarda “stone-throwing engine” ( Latin bomb(us) “booming noise” + -arda noun suffix); bomb, -ard

Explanation

To bombard is to attack, whether physically (with something like missiles) or metaphorically (with something like questions). See the word bomb in bombard? That's a clue to its meaning. When a place is bombarded, an enemy could literally be dropping bombs on it. In the days of stoning, people were bombarded with rocks. A politician getting pestered with questions is also being bombarded. You could say a teacher who assigns a lot of homework is bombarding the class with assignments. Bombarding involves a series of attacks; one bomb or one question can't be described as a bombardment.

Example Sentences

The controversy is about an arcane technical maneuver in which high-speed traders bombard Frankfurt-based Eurex with useless data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

Most organs and tissues now seem to bombard each other with a huge variety of molecular messages.

From Science Magazine • May 22, 2024

The technology allowed scammers without technical skills to bombard victims with messages designed to trick them into making payments online.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2024

Headlines bombard us with claims about cancer, chronic illness, the dangers of our food, “toxins.”

From Slate • Mar. 27, 2024

Maxine interjects, “Don’t bombard my mentee with questions,” she says.

From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson

Related Words

• barrage
• batter
• besiege
• blast
• blitz
• bomb
• harass
• hound
• open fire
• pester
• strafe