boom
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a period of great success and fast growth in business or the economy.
n.a period of rapid economic expansion, prosperity, or high market activity.
Simple“The city experienced a housing boom as thousands of new workers moved in for jobs.”
In context“Economists debated whether the current tech boom was a sustainable growth period or a speculative bubble destined to burst.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a deep, loud, and powerful sound like an explosion.
n.a deep, resonant, and low-frequency sound, often associated with explosions or heavy impacts.
Simple“We heard a distant boom and realized the construction crew was blasting rock.”
In context“The sonic boom shattered several windows in the village as the experimental jet exceeded the speed of sound.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a long, movable pole used to hold a microphone or camera, or to support a sail on a boat.
n.a long spar or movable arm used in various technical contexts, including maritime rigging and cinematic audio capture.
Simple“The sound assistant held the boom high to keep the microphone out of the shot.”
In context“The sailor swung the boom across the deck as the wind shifted, narrowly avoiding the passengers standing near the stern.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
v.to increase or become successful very quickly.
v.to experience rapid growth, success, or prosperity. Often used intransitively in economic contexts.
Simple“Business started to boom after the company launched its new website.”
In context“The local tourism industry began to boom once the international airport was completed, bringing in thousands of visitors each week.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to speak in a very loud and deep voice.
v.to speak or shout with a deep, resonant, and powerful tone.
Simple“Get out of here, the old man boomed from the top of the stairs.”
In context“The chairman's voice boomed across the hall, easily drowning out the murmurs of the dissatisfied shareholders.”
- 06 B1 Intermediate
interj.a word used to show that something happened suddenly or successfully.
interj.used to indicate a sudden occurrence, a successful completion, or a surprising revelation.
Simple“You just plug it in, press this button, and boom, it works.”
In context“He made one final adjustment to the code and boom, the entire system was back online.”
Synonymsvoilapresto
“Having moved quickly into the ready-to-drink market as it boomed following the pandemic, Au Vodka became second only to BuzzBallz in the UK.”
“This play arrives at a time when Japanese culture is experiencing a global boom, particularly in London.”
Onomatopoeic, perhaps borrowed; compare German bummen, Dutch bommen (“to hum, buzz”). The sense "a period of economic growth" is generally taken to derive from the sense "a rapid expansion", although other origins have also been suggested.
Borrowed from Dutch boom (“tree; pole”). Doublet of beam.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.