bombardment

[ bom-bahrd-muhnt ]

noun

1. a continuous or sustained attack, as with bombs or artillery fire:

   The rebel attacks were followed by government counterattacks that included airstrikes and artillery bombardment.

   The moon’s surface bears the scars of countless impact craters caused by the asteroid bombardment it has suffered over the eons.

2. an overwhelming quantity or barrage of something:

   We are all fed up with the incessant preelection bombardment of campaign mailers.

   Entering the stadium, you are immediately hit with a sensory bombardment: the buzz and crackle of massive television monitors, the smell of over-priced hotdogs and nachos.

3. Physics. the act or action of directing particles or radiation against something, such as a nucleus:

   In a conventional cathode-ray tube, the inside coating of the faceplate emits light in response to electron bombardment.

   Neutron bombardment of the uranium in the fuel converts some of it to plutonium, which is fissionable.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bombardment¹

bombard ( def ) + -ment ( def )

Example Sentences

On Jan. 29, a car carrying Hind and her cousin, 15-year-old Leyan Hamada, as well as Hind’s aunt and uncle and three other cousins, was attacked by Israel Defense Forces while trying to evacuate from an area under heavy bombardment.

From Salon

On Saturday, the WHO and other UN agencies set out to administer vaccines in Gaza City, after being forced to postpone the rollout in the north of the territory last month because of Israeli bombardment, mass displacement and lack of access.

From BBC

Beit Lahia has come under heavy bombardment since the IDF launched a ground offensive in neighbouring Jabalia a month ago, saying it was acting against regrouping Hamas fighters.

From BBC

In Lebanon’s south, entire villages and towns have been erased in recent Israeli bombardment, triggered by Hezbollah’s yearlong rocket campaign against northern Israel.

From Los Angeles Times

They were under bombardment the whole time.

From BBC

Related Words

• assault
• attack
• blitz
• bombing
• onslaught
• shelling