hydrogen bomb

American  

[hahy-druh-juhn bom] / ˈhaɪ drə dʒən ˌbɒm /

Also H-bomb

noun

1. a bomb, more powerful than an atomic bomb, that derives its explosive energy from the thermonuclear fusion reaction of hydrogen isotopes.

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hydrogen bomb British  

noun

1. Also called: H-bomb.  a type of bomb in which energy is released by fusion of hydrogen nuclei to give helium nuclei. The energy required to initiate the fusion is provided by the detonation of an atomic bomb, which is surrounded by a hydrogen-containing substance such as lithium deuteride See also fusion bomb

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hydrogen bomb Scientific  

1. An extremely destructive bomb whose explosive power is derived from the energy released when hydrogen atoms are fused to form helium. This atomic fusion reaction is the same reaction that takes place in stars like the Sun, where the pressure of gravity forces hydrogen atoms to fuse; a hydrogen bomb uses the force of an atomic explosion (the fission reaction exploited in atomic bombs) to compress the hydrogen to the point where fusion takes place. Hydrogen bombs are many times more powerful than atomic bombs.

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hydrogen bomb Cultural  

1. A nuclear weapon with enormous explosive power, fueled by nuclear fusion, in which atoms of hydrogen combine to form atoms of helium.

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Etymology

Origin of hydrogen bomb

First recorded in 1945–50

Compare meaning

How does hydrogen-bomb compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• hydrogen bomb vs. atomic bomb

Example Sentences

Teller’s explanation was likely self-serving given his later acrimonious rift with Oppenheimer over the hydrogen bomb.

From Salon • Jul. 22, 2025

Mr Unthank said he was never issued any protective clothing during the two hydrogen bomb tests he witnessed.

From BBC • Jun. 25, 2025

If Oppenheimer had reservations about the atomic bomb, he was driven to despair over the prospect of the hydrogen bomb, or, as it was called then, the Super.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2024

Sakharov, who died in 1989, was a key figure in developing the Soviet Union’s hydrogen bomb program but later become renowned for his activism in promoting human rights and freedom of conscience.

From Washington Times • Aug. 18, 2023

The quandary deepened in mid-1950, when it became evident that the solution to a vexing technical issue in hydrogen bomb design rested on the collaborative work of Teller and the Polish mathematician Stanislaw Ulam.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik