atomic bomb

noun

1

: a bomb whose violent explosive power is due to the sudden release of energy resulting from the splitting of nuclei of a heavy chemical element (such as plutonium or uranium) by neutrons in a very rapid chain reaction

called also atom bomb

2

: a nuclear weapon (such as a hydrogen bomb)

Examples of atomic bomb in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 2024 prize went to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors, at a time when the world was once again confronting the specter of nuclear weapons, amid Russia’s threats during its war in Ukraine. —Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025

Last year it was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese grassroots movement of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. —Kate Bartlett, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025

The first modern secret was the atomic bomb. —MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025

Such conditions are created at a lab in Los Alamos, New Mexico, the same place where much of the research and testing of the atomic bomb was conducted more than 80 years ago. —Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 28 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for atomic bomb

• microbiome
• aplomb
• balaam
• cocom
• embalm
• islam
• pogrom
• salaam
• sitcom
• balm
• bom
• calm

Kids Definition

atomic bomb

noun

1

: a bomb whose violent explosive power is due to the sudden release of energy resulting from the splitting of nuclei of a heavy chemical element (as plutonium or uranium) by neutrons

called also atom bomb

2

: hydrogen bomb