bombard
Americanverb (used with object)
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bombards,
present (3rd person singular)
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bombarded,
past participle, past
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bombarding
present participle
noun
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the earliest kind of cannon, originally throwing stone balls.
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Nautical. bomb ketch.
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an English leather tankard of the 18th century and earlier, similar to but larger than a blackjack.
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Obsolete. a leather jug.
verb
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to attack with concentrated artillery fire or bombs
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to attack with vigour and persistence
the boxer bombarded his opponent with blows to the body
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to attack verbally, esp with questions
the journalists bombarded her with questions
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physics to direct high-energy particles or photons against (atoms, nuclei, etc) esp to produce ions or nuclear transformations
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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bombardsimple
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bombardssimple
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have bombardedperfect
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has bombardedperfect
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am bombardingprogressive
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are bombardingprogressive
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is bombardingprogressive
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have been bombardingperfect progressive
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has been bombardingperfect progressive
Past
-
bombardedsimple
-
had bombardedperfect
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was bombardingprogressive
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were bombardingprogressive
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had been bombardingperfect progressive
Future
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); see 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.
Vocabulary lists containing bombard
Save Me a Seat
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Metamorphosis
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Vocabulary from the Second Presidential Debate: October 9, 2016
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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:
Related: ‘I’ve plenty of time on my hands’: Advisers bombard me with offers of free steak dinners.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
"These rare events, triggered by large, well-positioned collisions in the main asteroid belt, bombard all inner solar system worlds," Bottke said.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
Deming goes old school to distort Reilly’s focus and bombard him with harsh spotlights.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
This could include enforcing tougher restrictions on features which make social media addictive, such as banning autoplay, infinite scroll, and the algorithms that "bombard" children with harmful material.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
This was a signal to bombard Lippmann with accusatory questions: If it’s such a great idea, why don’t you quit Deutsche Bank and start a hedge fund and make a fortune for yourself?
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Unlike Delta, which bombards premium travelers with what-to-expect emails ahead of their flight, JetBlue was notably silent about its Mint perks after I booked in mid-February.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026
Without this invisible barrier, Earth would be exposed to the same constant stream of charged particles that bombards other planets in our solar system, such as Mars, making life there far more difficult.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2025
Schools pile on homework, extracurricular activities consume evenings, and social media bombards us with comparisons to seemingly perfect families.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2024
Before the adoption of bombards and cannon, sieges of cities could drag on interminably; some lasted for years.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
Imam Malik looks helpless as our class bombards him with questions.
From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan
Newly appointed Michelle Welsh, Labour MP for Sherwood Forest, has written to the owner of Facebook and Instagram, urging them to better protect users from being bombarded with unwanted ads.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026
Today, consumers are bombarded with a constant stream of headlines, social media posts and algorithmically curated content designed to maximize engagement.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
Americans are bombarded with robocalls — roughly 4 billion to 5 billion a month — despite decades of regulation.
From MarketWatch ● May 11, 2026
Voters will probably be bombarded with political ads and arguments from opposing sides as the battle intensifies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
Millions of separate and precise agitations bombarded her senses.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
To win some room to push back with Trump in private, Rutte began bombarding him with public support and praise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
As diplomats wrangle for a breakthrough in what has been Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II, Russia has continued to press forward with its assault, bombarding Ukraine daily.
From Barron's ● Jan. 9, 2026
With TikTok and Instagram reels constantly bombarding you with ads and influencer promotions, it’s hard not to feel like you’re missing out if you’re not buying the latest products and keeping up with the Joneses.
From Salon ● Feb. 17, 2025
She said transgender colleagues are stopping her in the hallways and bombarding her with questions and requests for advice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2024
The nucleus was discovered by Ernest Rutherford at Cambridge when some of the bombarding particles were bounced back in the direction from which they had come.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
