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to bomb

to bomb

23 5.1
To fail badly, for example in a test or performance
  • verb
  • /bɑm/
  • Informal
: fracasar
  • And this girl went up and she bombed so hard.

It's kind of thing I bombed on a cruise once and.

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Examples

  • Do they want to see their children bomb the AP Biology test?

    Academic text (2011)
  • My parents are all about tough love since I bombed out of Penn State.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • I used to apologize when I just would bomb an audition.

  • Now that they release it in November, if it bombs, the holiday sales are screwed.

    Blog text (5)
  • It's dude, I have bombed in front of my own crowd too.

  • Sometimes the most qualified applicant can totally bomb an interview, but with a few good tips, they can shine!

    Blog text (18)
  • This is back when I bombed at the Royal Albert Hall.

  • Now, if he bombs in the debate next Wednesday, well, he's bombed.

  • In sixth place, comic book adaptation/remake Dredd bombed with just $6.3 million from 2,506 locations.

    Blog text (12)
  • When the actor forgot his lines, he feared he would bomb the entire performance.

Synonyms

to fail
vsto bomb
233 1.0

Not pass a test or course

means not passing but carries a stronger sense of doing very badly
to flunk
vsto bomb
  • Informal
87 5.6

To fail an exam or class by not getting a passing grade

involves a more severe lack of success beyond merely missing a passing grade
to be a bomb
vsto bomb
  • Slang
1 8.6

Fail completely so people see it does not work

is about doing very badly at something without necessarily being publicly embarrassing
to duff
vsto bomb
  • UK
1 9.4

To fail at something in a clumsy way

expresses poor performance without the special clumsy or awkward manner

Antonyms

827 2.0

To reach a goal after trying hard

12 1.4

A successful result in an exam

Idioms

To tell people shocking news suddenly

to drop the f-bomb
  • Offensive
1 9.9

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

to be a bomb
  • Slang
1 8.6

Fail completely so people see it does not work

9.7

To use the F-word to shock people

Phrasal Verbs

15 8.3

Make people homeless by destroying their homes with bombs

6 7.5

To attack a wide area from the air by dropping many bombs

8.8

To load a plane with bombs before an attack mission

to letter bomb
  • Offensive
8.8

To send a bomb hidden in an envelope to hurt someone

9.9

To drop many bombs over an area in a set pattern

Compounds

atomic bomb
  • Specialized
61 2.3

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

car bomb
  • Offensive
58 5.0

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

34 4.6

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

29 3.4

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

dirty bomb
  • NSFW
25 7.7

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

24 3.0

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

pipe bomb
  • Offensive
23 5.9

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

ticking bomb
  • Informal
22 5.2

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

20 3.4

A bomb set to explode at a fixed time

14 3.0

A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to release huge energy

13 2.5

A sudden explosion from a bomb

hydrogen bomb
  • Specialized
11 4.9

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

11 7.5

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

cluster bomb
  • Specialized
10 6.7

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

10 3.6

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

smart bomb
  • Specialized
9 4.0

A bomb that can be guided to hit a specific target

8 4.5

An area in a town destroyed or badly damaged by bombs

8 3.7

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

H-bomb
  • NSFW
7 4.0

A very powerful nuclear weapon that explodes by joining hydrogen atoms

gas bomb
  • Offensive
5 4.6

A bomb that releases toxic gas when it explodes

letter bomb
  • Offensive
5 7.8

A small bomb hidden in an envelope that explodes when opened

neutron bomb
  • Specialized
4 7.0

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

laser-guided bomb
  • Specialized
3 4.1

A bomb that follows laser light to hit a target accurately

3 5.8

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

megaton bomb
  • Specialized
2 6.0

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

plutonium bomb
  • Specialized
2 7.2

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

fission bomb
  • Specialized
2 6.7

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

incendiary bomb
  • Specialized
2 6.3

A bomb that starts fires to burn buildings or fuel

fusion bomb
  • Specialized
1 6.3

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

buzz bomb
  • Archaic
1 9.4

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

1 7.1

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

sex bomb
  • NSFW
1 7.4

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

1 5.6

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

shoe bomb
  • Offensive
1 7.9

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

flying bomb
  • Archaic
1 7.9

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

1 7.4

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

thermonuclear bomb
  • Specialized
1 6.9

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

package bomb
  • Offensive
1 5.6

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

E-bomb
  • Specialized
1 9.9

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

fuel-air bomb
  • Specialized
1 8.4

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

dumb bomb
  • Specialized
1 5.1

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

balloon bomb
  • Archaic
1 7.9

An explosive that a balloon carries to travel far and explode

GP bomb
  • NSFW
1 6.0

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

1 7.6

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

robot bomb
  • Specialized
1 7.8

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

bomb rack
  • Specialized
1 7.4

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

1 7.0

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

gravity bomb
  • Specialized
1 6.2

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

total bomb
  • Informal
1 7.7

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

logic bomb
  • Specialized
1 7.9

Hidden code in a program that does harm when triggered

1 5.1

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

fragmentation bomb
  • Specialized
1 8.1

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

sugar bomb
  • Informal
1 3.6

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

1 5.9

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

calorie bomb
  • Informal
1 4.2

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

1 8.8

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

clean bomb
  • Archaic
1 6.1

A nuclear bomb that produces very little radioactive fallout

penetration bomb
  • Specialized
1 7.6

A strong bomb that goes through hard targets before it explodes

depth bomb
  • Archaic
1 8.1

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

1 7.1

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

general-purpose bomb
  • Specialized
1 4.4

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

1 9.9

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

umami bomb
  • Slang
1 6.3

A dish with a very strong savory taste

1 8.2

An explosive that sends many small fast pieces to hurt people

megaton bomb
  • Literature
1 4.9

A very shocking event or announcement that causes big change

bomb calorimeter
  • Specialized
8.1

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

8.2

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

atomic F-bomb
  • Offensive
8.5

A very strong use of the F-word that shocks 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

9.8

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

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

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 Bad

to bomb
  • Informal
23 5.1
to fail
233 1.0

Surface Forms

bomb infinitive
bombed past
bombed past participle
bombing present participle
bombs third person singular

Etymology

Bomb as a verb meaning 'fail badly' is slang you can remember by thinking of a test or show that 'blows up' in a bad way. So to bomb an exam is to do very poorly on it.