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:
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
This comes after the "bombshell announcement" that Meghan and the Duke of Sussex are returning to the UK.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
The Dodgers acquired Skubal in an abundantly predictable bombshell trade with the Detroit Tigers in exchange for a trio of prospects, wanting to test the idiom that a ballclub can never have enough pitching.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
AS IF SHE DIDN’T just drop a bombshell on us, Ama turns and whisks out of the office, closing the door behind her.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
However, it was soon revealed they were not actually going home, and were sent on dates with two new bombshells instead.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
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
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
There won't be any more bombshells on our screens this summer as Love Island wraps up its 12th series on Monday.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 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.
