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bomb

bomb

139 5.6
A complete failure, for example a show or plan that no one likes
  • noun
  • /bɑm/
  • Informal
translation icon : fracaso
  • The movie premiered to much fanfare but quickly turned into a bomb at the box office.

Examples

  • That was really a bomb?

  • It's a total bomb.

  • As long as it's not another bomb.

  • A bomb has ruined us, just not the bomb I thought would ruin us.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • You might suppose that the producer of such a calorie and cholesterol bomb would be an ostrich.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The new restaurant was a total bomb; nobody wanted to eat there after the first week.

  • His last album was a complete bomb, failing to chart anywhere despite the hype.

Synonyms

flop
vsbomb
44 4.3

A project or event that does not succeed

applies more generally to any failed event product or performance
dud
vsbomb
  • Informal
14 4.7

Something that fails to work or please people

refers specifically to total failure of events products or performances
turkey
vsbomb
  • Archaic
12 8.6

An event like a movie or play that fails completely

emphasizes outright total failure rather than milder lack of success
total bomb
vsbomb
  • Informal
7.7

A thing such as a film or product that fails badly with people

covers failures in any area, not only money or public response

Antonyms

1.0

Getting what you want after working hard

Idioms

to be a bomb
  • Slang
5 8.6

Fail completely so people see it does not work

To tell people shocking news suddenly

9.7

To use the F-word to shock people

to drop the f-bomb
  • Offensive
9.9

Say the rude word 'fuck', often in a situation where it surprises or offends people

Compounds

atomic bomb
  • Specialized
66 2.3

A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to make a huge explosion and destroy large areas

car bomb
  • Offensive
39 5.0

An explosive hidden inside a car that can be set off by remote control or a timer

32 3.0

A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to release huge energy

pipe bomb
  • Offensive
29 5.9

A thing made inside a metal pipe that explodes to hurt people or damage things

28 3.4

A strong place often underground where people stay to be safe from bombs

26 4.6

A problem that will become dangerous in the future if not fixed

16 3.0

A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to cause a huge explosion

dirty bomb
  • NSFW
10 7.7

A weapon that explodes and spreads radioactive material to contaminate an area, not a nuclear bomb

9 2.5

A sudden explosion from a bomb

cluster bomb
  • Specialized
8 6.7

A weapon that holds many small explosives which spread out and explode over a wide area

hydrogen bomb
  • Specialized
8 4.9

A very powerful nuclear bomb that makes a huge explosion by joining hydrogen atoms

7 3.6

A small thing that makes a very bad smell when you open it

smart bomb
  • Specialized
7 4.0

A bomb that can be guided to hit a specific target

5 7.5

A small red firework that makes a very loud bang and can hurt people

5 4.5

An area in a town destroyed or badly damaged by bombs

4 3.7

A small object that makes a thick cloud of smoke to hide people or mark a place

ticking bomb
  • Informal
3 5.2

A situation likely to become dangerous soon if people do not fix it

laser-guided bomb
  • Specialized
3 4.1

A bomb that follows laser light to hit a target accurately

H-bomb
  • NSFW
3 4.0

A very powerful nuclear weapon that explodes by joining hydrogen atoms

neutron bomb
  • Specialized
2 7.0

A weapon that kills people mainly with radiation but leaves buildings mostly standing

gas bomb
  • Offensive
2 4.6

A bomb that releases toxic gas when it explodes

1 5.8

A weapon that releases toxic chemicals when it explodes to kill or harm people

letter bomb
  • Offensive
1 7.8

A small bomb hidden in an envelope that explodes when opened

1 7.1

A bottle filled with petrol and a burning rag, thrown to start a fire

1 3.4

A bomb set to explode at a fixed time

megaton bomb
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A very powerful nuclear bomb equal to one million tons of TNT

fusion bomb
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A weapon that makes a very large explosion by joining light atoms like hydrogen

sex bomb
  • NSFW
1 7.4

A person, often a woman, who many people find very sexually attractive

buzz bomb
  • Archaic
1 9.4

A small jet-powered flying bomb used by Germany in World War II to attack cities

1 7.4

A simple weapon that uses a bottle of gasoline and a cloth wick to start fires

incendiary bomb
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A bomb that starts fires to burn buildings or fuel

package bomb
  • Offensive
1 5.6

A hidden device that explodes when someone opens a box or envelope

shoe bomb
  • Offensive
1 7.9

An explosive hidden inside a shoe that someone can make explode secretly

bomb rack
  • Specialized
1 7.4

A metal frame on an aircraft that holds and drops bombs in flight

dumb bomb
  • Specialized
1 5.1

An explosive dropped from a plane that falls by gravity without guidance

1 7.0

A bomb that sends out many small metal pieces to injure or kill people

balloon bomb
  • Archaic
1 7.9

An explosive that a balloon carries to travel far and explode

fission bomb
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A bomb that releases a huge amount of energy by splitting heavy atoms like uranium or plutonium

flying bomb
  • Archaic
1 7.9

A small flying machine with wings that carries a bomb to a target

fuel-air bomb
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A bomb that spreads fuel into the air and then explodes to make a very large blast

gravity bomb
  • Specialized
1 6.2

A bomb dropped from a plane that falls to a target without guidance

1 5.6

A bomb you can make explode from far away using a small device you hold

plutonium bomb
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A very powerful bomb that uses plutonium to make a huge nuclear explosion

sugar bomb
  • Informal
1 3.6

A food or drink that has a lot of sugar and tastes very sweet

thermonuclear bomb
  • Specialized
1 6.9

A very powerful weapon that makes a huge explosion by joining tiny hydrogen atoms at extreme heat

bomb calorimeter
  • Specialized
8.1

A strong closed container that measures heat from burning things in a lab

7.6

An explosive hidden in a briefcase that can be made to explode later

calorie bomb
  • Informal
4.2

A food that has a lot of calories and is often unhealthy

clean bomb
  • Archaic
6.1

A nuclear bomb that produces very little radioactive fallout

depth bomb
  • Archaic
8.1

A weapon that explodes underwater at a set depth to attack submarines

E-bomb
  • Specialized
9.9

A weapon that explodes in the air to stop electronic devices from working

A container under pressure that sprays a fine mist of liquid or gas when opened

8.2

A weapon that sprays flammable liquid into the air then sets it on fire to make a large explosion

An explosive that sends many small fast pieces to hurt people

atomic F-bomb
  • Offensive
8.5

A very strong use of the F-word that shocks people

fragmentation bomb
  • Specialized
8.1

A weapon that explodes and sends metal pieces at high speed to hurt people and damage things nearby

logic bomb
  • Specialized
7.9

Hidden code in a program that does harm when triggered

megaton bomb
  • Literature
4.9

A very shocking event or announcement that causes big change

8.8

A weapon that explodes in the air to stop electronic devices from working without hurting people or buildings

general-purpose bomb
  • Specialized
4.4

A large explosive object that makes a strong blast and many flying pieces

GP bomb
  • NSFW
6.0

A heavy weapon dropped from a plane to destroy buildings and hurt people

Guided Bomb Unit-28
  • Specialized
9.4

A heavy laser-guided bomb weighing 5,000 pounds that goes deep into bunkers to destroy them

robot bomb
  • Specialized
7.8

A missile with wings and a jet engine that carries explosives to a target without a person on board

5.9

An explosive hidden inside a package or envelope that explodes when opened

penetration bomb
  • Specialized
7.6

A strong bomb that goes through hard targets before it explodes

5.1

An explosive device made from plastic explosives that can be shaped to fit small spaces

9.8

A small underwater explosive fishermen use to scare seals from fishing areas

9.9

A bomb that spreads fuel and ignites to make a very hot, powerful blast

total bomb
  • Informal
7.7

A thing such as a film or product that fails badly with people

A small device that makes a very bad smell to drive people away

umami bomb
  • Slang
6.3

A dish with a very strong savory taste

8.2

A weapon that spreads fuel into the air and then sets it on fire, causing a very large blast

9.8

A bomb that spreads fuel into the air and then sets it on fire to make a very large explosion

How Successful

success
1.0
failure
557 1.3
bomb
  • Informal
139 5.6

Surface Forms

bomb singular
bombs plural

Etymology

Bomb meaning a big failure grew as slang and you can remember it with a simple image: a show or idea that 'explodes' in the wrong way and is ruined by the result. So if something is a bomb, it means it was a complete failure.