bombardment

American  

[bom-bahrd-muhnt] / bɒmˈbɑrd mənt /

noun

1. a continuous or sustained attack, as with bombs or artillery fire.

   The rebel attacks were followed by government counterattacks that included airstrikes and artillery bombardment.

   The moon’s surface bears the scars of countless impact craters caused by the asteroid bombardment it has suffered over the eons.

2. an overwhelming quantity or barrage of something.

   We are all fed up with the incessant preelection bombardment of campaign mailers.

   Entering the stadium, you are immediately hit with a sensory bombardment: the buzz and crackle of massive television monitors, the smell of over-priced hotdogs and nachos.

3. Physics. the act or action of directing particles or radiation against something, such as a nucleus.

   In a conventional cathode-ray tube, the inside coating of the faceplate emits light in response to electron bombardment.

   Neutron bombardment of the uranium in the fuel converts some of it to plutonium, which is fissionable.

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Etymology

Origin of bombardment

bombard ( def. ) + -ment ( def. )

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Explanation

When a lot of bombs fall on a city or area, it is a bombardment. But a bombardment can also mean a pummeling with lots of other things: questions, spit balls, or e-mails. During the early stages of a war, the capital city of the country under attack may suffer a severe bombardment meant to bring on a quick surrender. If there are many casualties or the citizens of the country are treated brutally by the occupying force, military officials may find themselves under a bombardment of questions and accusations about how the war was handled.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bombardment

The village is to the south-east of the city of Zaporizhzhia, which has come under constant Russian bombardment.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Speaking in Downing Street, Burnham said the recent days had been "dark and difficult" for Ukraine, with the country suffering "heavy bombardment".

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

The simulated particle bombardment produced several chemical changes, including the formation of nitrous oxide.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026

Kofman said a bombardment campaign, however, is unlikely to affect what happens on the front.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

In just 200 million years, possibly less, the Earth was essentially formed, though still molten and subject to constant bombardment from all the debris that remained floating about.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

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Related Words

• assault
• attack
• blitz
• bombing
• onslaught
• shelling

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