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Glite Dictionary
💣 A huge nuclear weapon 💥 A shocking event
megaton bomb

megaton bomb

4.9
A very shocking event or announcement that causes big change
  • noun
  • /ˈmɛɡəˌtʌn bɑm/
  • Literature
translation icon : bomba de megatones
  • When the CEO admitted the fraud, it was a megaton bomb that shattered investor confidence worldwide.

Examples

  • The committee's report dropped a megaton bomb into the election campaign, forcing immediate resignations.

  • Her testimony proved a megaton bomb in court, changing the trial's course overnight.

  • Her announcement was a real megaton bomb in the industry.

  • The news of the merger dropped like a megaton bomb!

  • The committee's report dropped a megaton bomb into the election campaign, forcing immediate resignations.

  • When the CEO admitted the fraud, it was a megaton bomb that shattered investor confidence worldwide.

  • Her testimony proved a megaton bomb in court, changing the trial's course overnight.

Synonyms

blockbuster
vsmegaton bomb
  • Archaic
4 7.9

A very large bomb that can destroy many buildings in one area

is used figuratively for major shocking events rather than physical destruction
superbomb
vsmegaton bomb
  • Archaic
1 7.5

A very powerful bomb that can destroy a whole city, often using nuclear energy

is a figurative term for shocking events rather than a physical weapon
atomic F-bomb
vsmegaton bomb
  • Offensive
8.5

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

is used for very shocking events or announcements across many situations
multimegaton
vsmegaton bomb
  • Specialized
9.9

A bomb with the power of several million tons of TNT

is a figurative phrase for large shocking events not a literal explosion

Antonyms

small-time
47 5.9

Not important and not well known, often used for people or small businesses

How Shocking

megaton bomb
  • Literature
4.9
bombshell
  • Literature
56 6.1
news
  • Literature
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

megaton bomb singular
megaton bombs plural

Morphology

megaton + bomb

The compound is transparently built from 'megaton' (a very large measure of explosive power) + 'bomb' (an explosive device/event), so the meaning 'an extremely powerful or shocking event' follows directly as an intensification of the literal sense. This kind of metaphorical intensification (large measure + explosive) is predictable and cross-linguistically intuitive, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the figurative meaning.

Etymology

Megaton bomb is also used as a picture for very big news or events. People compare shocking news to the blast of a megaton bomb, so it means 'an event or announcement that has a huge, shocking effect'.