bomb
bom
Bomb (noun) means an explosive device designed to cause damage or destruction. Example: “The bomb was defused just in time.”
noun
1
An explosive device designed to cause damage or destruction.
"The bomb was defused just in time."
verb
1
To attack a place using bombs.
"Enemy planes bombed the harbor at dawn."
2
To fail badly, especially a performance or attempt.
"The comedian completely bombed at his first show."
"The new play bombed on its opening night, and the theatre was half empty."
"I completely bombed my driving test because I was so nervous."
adj
1
Informal for excellent or impressive.
"Their new album is totally bomb, and I've played it all week."
"Those trainers are bomb; everyone at school wants a pair."
"That new track is the bomb."
How to use bomb
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn explosive device, or (informally) to fail badly or to be excellent, depending on context.
When to use it
The "fail badly" and "the bomb" (meaning great) senses are informal.
Common pairings
drop a bomb
bomb threat
bomb a test
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like bomb.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- bombs
- Past tense
- bombed
- Comparative
- more bomb
- Superlative
- most bomb
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ was defused just in time.
Etymology
From French bombe, from Italian bomba, ultimately from Greek bómbos, "a booming sound" — imitating the noise of an explosion.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for bomb
See all rhymes for 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.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include bomb:
