bombshell
Americannoun
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a bomb.
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something or someone having a sudden and sensational effect.
The news of his resignation was a bombshell.
noun
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(esp formerly) a bomb or artillery shell
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a shocking or unwelcome surprise
the news of his death was a bombshell
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informal an attractive girl or woman (esp in the phrase blonde bombshell )
Etymology
Origin of bombshell
1700–10; 1925–30 bombshell for def. 2; bomb + shell
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the organization for regulators from every U.S. state, in 2024 published a bombshell study revealing that the ratings on insurers’ private-credit investments were routinely inflated.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
It has, however, raised questions about trade deals Washington has agreed since Trump's "Liberation Day" bombshell in April, with the European Union demanding clarity on the issue before ratifying its agreement.
From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026
At City Hall, Raman’s entrance into the mayor’s race is a bombshell, particularly given her relationship with Bass.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2026
Alphabet earnings are the headliner for later, but for now, investors continue to weigh the fallout from embattled software stocks after Anthropic’s “Cowork” bombshell.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 4, 2026
My father’s arrest had come in September, and when Christmas was but two days away, my mother dropped a bombshell.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
