Word
bomb
US/ˈbɑm/
UK/bˈɒm/
Definitions
01explosive weapon
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a weapon designed to explode and cause damage or injury.
n. an explosive device used as a weapon, typically delivered by aircraft, artillery, or placement.
日本語:爆弾※
“The old building was destroyed by a bomb during the war.”
“The disposal unit was called in to neutralise an unexploded bomb discovered by construction workers at the city centre site.”
02a failure
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal · American English
n. something that is a complete failure, especially a movie or a play.
n. a project, production, or commercial venture that fails completely or is unpopular.
“The new sci-fi movie was a total bomb at the box office.”
“Despite the massive marketing budget, the product launch was a complete bomb, failing to capture even a fraction of the projected market share.”
03a lot of money
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal · British English
n. a very large amount of money.
n. a significant sum of money; often used with the verb 'cost'.
“That new sports car must have cost a bomb.”
“Renovating the Victorian estate cost a bomb, but the increase in property value eventually justified the initial investment.”
Antonyms
04to attack with explosives
B1 · Intermediate
v. to drop bombs on a place or person.
v. to attack a target using explosive devices; to bombard.
“The air force began to bomb the enemy's supply lines.”
“The strategic decision to bomb the industrial hubs was intended to cripple the opposition's manufacturing capabilities during the final months of the conflict.”
05to fail badly
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal · American English
v. to fail completely, especially in an exam or a performance.
v. to perform very poorly or fail dismally in a specific task or event.
“I think I bombed my history exam because I didn't study enough.”
“The comedian bombed during the late-night set, as none of his jokes seemed to resonate with the tired audience.”
06to move very fast
C1 · Advanced Informal · British English
v. to move or travel at a very high speed.
v. to travel or move with great velocity.
“The cyclists were bombing down the hill at sixty kilometres per hour.”
“We were bombing along the motorway when we suddenly realised we had missed the exit for the airport.”
07excellent
C1 · Advanced Slang · American English
adj. very good, cool, or impressive.
adj. excellent or highly impressive; used as a general term of approval.
“That burger we had last night was totally bomb.”
“The production quality on their latest album is bomb, showing a level of maturity the band lacked in their earlier releases.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “bomb” in context.
Verb
01. bomb explodes
“The bomb exploded just seconds after the building was evacuated.”
noun + verb
02. bomb goes off
“A small bomb went off in the city center early this morning.”
noun + verb + prep
03. defuse bomb
“The police specialized unit worked for hours to defuse the bomb.”
verb + noun
04. detonate bomb
“The device was designed to detonate the bomb remotely via a cell phone.”
verb + noun
05. plant bomb
“Terrorists had managed to plant a bomb in the basement of the building.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. petrol bomb
“Protesters were seen throwing petrol bombs at the police line.”
adj + noun
07. total bomb
“The new sci-fi movie was a total bomb at the box office.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. bomb disposal
“The bomb disposal squad was called to investigate the suspicious package.”
noun + noun
09. bomb threat
“The school was closed today following a serious bomb threat.”
noun + noun
10. cost a bomb
“I'd love to buy that designer watch, but it would cost a bomb.”
11. go like a bomb
“The new marketing campaign is going like a bomb and sales are soaring.”
12. plant a roadside bomb
“Insurgents attempted to plant a roadside bomb near the military convoy.”
Etymology
From French bombe, from Italian bomba, from Latin bombus (“a booming sound”), from Ancient Greek βόμβος (bómbos, “booming, humming, buzzing”), imitative of the sound itself. Doublet of bombe. Compare boom.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/bomb
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0