bomb
13 synonyms and 0 antonyms for bomb, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An explosive device designed to cause damage or destruction.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use bomb
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
The "fail badly" and "the bomb" (meaning great) senses are informal.
Etymology
From French bombe, from Italian bomba, ultimately from Greek bómbos, "a booming sound" — imitating the noise of an explosion.
Full origin of bomb →Frequently asked questions
What does “bomb” mean?
The word “bomb” means an explosive device designed to cause damage or destruction. In plain terms, an explosive device, or (informally) to fail badly or to be excellent, depending on context.
How do you pronounce “bomb”?
“Bomb” is pronounced bom (/bɑm/ in IPA).
How do you use “bomb” in a sentence?
Here is “bomb” used in a sentence: “The bomb was defused just in time.”
What part of speech is “bomb”?
Depending on how it is used, “bomb” can be a noun, a verb and an adjective.
Where does the word “bomb” come from?
The word “bomb” comes from French. From French bombe, from Italian bomba, ultimately from Greek bómbos, "a booming sound" — imitating the noise of an explosion.
Is “bomb” a common word?
“Bomb” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “bomb” have?
“Bomb” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an explosive device designed to cause damage or destruction.
What is the difference between a bomb and a grenade?
Both are explosive devices, but they differ in size and delivery. A grenade is small and thrown by hand or launched over short range, while a bomb is generally larger and dropped, planted, or delivered by other means. All grenades are a kind of explosive, but "bomb" usually implies something bigger or more powerful.
Does 'bomb' have a figurative meaning?
Yes. Beyond the literal explosive, "bomb" is widely used figuratively. A "bombshell" is a piece of shocking news, and to say a film or joke "bombed" means it failed badly. Confusingly, in some slang "the bomb" means something excellent, so tone and context decide whether the word is praise or criticism.
What does it mean when something 'bombs'?
Figuratively, to say a film, joke, or performance "bombed" means it failed badly or fell completely flat. The sense borrows the destructive image of the noun. It sits oddly beside the slang "the bomb," which means the opposite — something great — so listeners rely on context to tell the two apart.