Synonyms

mushroom cloud

American

noun

mushroom.

mushroom cloud British

noun

the large mushroom-shaped cloud of dust, debris, etc produced by a nuclear explosion

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mushroom cloud

First recorded in 1940–45

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:

mushroom cloud

The book includes numerous photos of the Gadget in its final form, as well as a diagram of what scientists thought the mushroom cloud would look like.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Footage shows the towering rocket erupt in an inferno, followed by a mushroom cloud of smoke as bystanders gathered to watch the launch gasp "Oh no!" and "Oh my God!"

From Barron's ● May 29, 2026

The metastasizing mushroom cloud was achieved through practical effects.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 2, 2024

Shortly after, a second blast sent a mushroom cloud billowing into the sky, rocking the forecourt in Crevedia.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2023

The men saw a purple-gray mushroom cloud rising above Hiroshima, its top reaching three miles above their plane.

From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023