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Glite Dictionary
umami bomb

umami bomb

6.3
A dish with a very strong savory taste
  • noun
  • /uˈmɑːmi bɑm/
  • Slang
translation icon : bomba de umami
  • The chef created an umami bomb that left everyone wanting more.

Examples

  • Come on, your umami bomb's getting cold.

    Mountain Men (2014)

  • It's an umami bomb, bro.

    Mountain Men (2014)

  • This pizza is an absolute umami bomb with its rich toppings and flavorful sauce.

  • At the restaurant, I ordered the special, which turned out to be a delicious umami bomb.

Antonyms

bland
23 2.0

Food that has a very weak taste and little or no strong flavor

How Savory

umami bomb
  • Slang
6.3
umami
5.0
savory
  • US
23 4.1
bland
23 2.0

Surface Forms

umami bomb singular
umami bombs plural

Morphology

umami + bomb

The meaning is directly compositional: 'umami' names a savory taste and 'bomb' here functions as an informal intensifier meaning a powerful or concentrated effect, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer 'a dish with an extremely strong umami flavor.' The pattern is comparable to other transparent compounds like 'flavor bomb' and, despite slight slanginess, is predictable from its parts.

Etymology

Umami bomb uses umami (the rich, 'savory' taste) and bomb to make an image of flavor that 'explodes' in your mouth, giving a sudden, powerful hit of taste. So, it means a dish where every bite has an intense 'savory' flavor.