# boom

/ˈbum/ (US) · /bˈuːm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/boom
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. economic growth

noun · CEFR B1

a period of great success and fast growth in business or the economy.

For teachers: a period of rapid economic expansion, prosperity, or high market activity.

- The city experienced a housing boom as thousands of new workers moved in for jobs.
- Economists debated whether the current tech boom was a sustainable growth period or a speculative bubble destined to burst.

### 2. loud sound

noun · CEFR B2

a deep, loud, and powerful sound like an explosion.

For teachers: a deep, resonant, and low-frequency sound, often associated with explosions or heavy impacts.

- We heard a distant boom and realized the construction crew was blasting rock.
- The sonic boom shattered several windows in the village as the experimental jet exceeded the speed of sound.

### 3. equipment pole

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a long, movable pole used to hold a microphone or camera, or to support a sail on a boat.

For teachers: a long spar or movable arm used in various technical contexts, including maritime rigging and cinematic audio capture.

- The sound assistant held the boom high to keep the microphone out of the shot.
- The sailor swung the boom across the deck as the wind shifted, narrowly avoiding the passengers standing near the stern.

### 4. to grow quickly

verb · CEFR B1

to increase or become successful very quickly.

For teachers: to experience rapid growth, success, or prosperity. Often used intransitively in economic contexts.

- Business started to boom after the company launched its new website.
- The local tourism industry began to boom once the international airport was completed, bringing in thousands of visitors each week.

### 5. to speak loudly

verb · CEFR B2

to speak in a very loud and deep voice.

For teachers: to speak or shout with a deep, resonant, and powerful tone.

- Get out of here, the old man boomed from the top of the stairs.
- The chairman's voice boomed across the hall, easily drowning out the murmurs of the dissatisfied shareholders.

### 6. sudden event

interjection · CEFR B1 · Informal

a word used to show that something happened suddenly or successfully.

For teachers: used to indicate a sudden occurrence, a successful completion, or a surprising revelation.

- You just plug it in, press this button, and boom, it works.
- He made one final adjustment to the code and boom, the entire system was back online.

## Examples

- The city is enjoying a sudden housing boom.
- Investors flocked to the region during the tech boom of the late nineties, hoping to find the next big startup.
- While the economic boom brought unprecedented wealth to the urban centers, it also exacerbated the wealth gap between the rising middle class and the rural poor.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.