Bombshell

/ˈbɒmʃɛl/

nounIntermediate📊CommonGeneral
2 meanings2 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

A sudden and unexpected piece of news that causes great surprise or shock.

/ˈbɒmʃɛl/

nounnegativeIntermediate
General

A surprising and shocking revelation.

The news report was a bombshell.

💡 Simply: A surprising and shocking piece of news.

More Examples

2

His resignation came as a complete bombshell.

How It's Used

News Reporting

"The politician's affair was a bombshell that rocked the election."

Personal Relationships

"Her sudden breakup announcement was a bombshell to her friends."

2

A very attractive and striking woman.

/ˈbɒmʃɛl/

nounpositiveIntermediate
General

An extremely attractive woman.

She walked into the room like a bombshell.

💡 Simply: A very beautiful woman.

How It's Used

Informal Conversation

"She's a real bombshell!"

Tip:Think of a bomb's explosive beauty.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

From "bomb" + "shell", referring to the explosive impact of a sudden revelation.

The word's usage as a stunning revelation became prominent in the mid-20th century.

Memory tip

Imagine a bomb exploding—that's the impact of a bombshell.

Word Origin

Original meaning

"A combination of 'bomb' signifying explosive power and 'shell' alluding to its impactful delivery."

drop a bombshella political bombshell

Common misspellings

bomshellbombshel

Usage

30%Spoken
70%Written