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

Made less than 10 years after the U.S. decimated Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atomic bombs, the original Godzilla is a thoughtful, haunting film, and an outstanding example of how humans use storytelling to process trauma. —Katie Rife, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2024

Millennial Americans have been taught to hate themselves, and Nolan’s Oppenheimer goes back in time to justify that hate, rooting it in the history of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s invention, the atomic bomb. —Armond White, National Review, 13 Mar. 2024

Nolan’s final payday for the film, which traces the life of titular scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in creating the atomic bomb, is just south of $100 million, according to knowledgeable sources. —Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024

Opposite Murphy, Downey Jr.’s Admiral Lewis Strauss serves as J. Robert Oppenheimer’s primary antagonist as the physicist navigates the moral and emotional dilemmas of creating the atomic bomb. —Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024

Oppenheimer, the biographical film about the inventor of the atomic bomb, is the clear favorite going into this year’s Academy Awards ceremony. —Thomas Buckley, Fortune, 10 Mar. 2024

For example, a significant number of moviegoers opted to pay a higher price to see Nolan’s atomic bomb drama in a premium large format, with Imax screenings accounting for a record-breaking 26.2% of the film’s domestic opening weekend gross. —Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024

Murphy is busier than ever following his leading role in Oppenheimer as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. —Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Mar. 2024

In the aftermath of the development of the atomic bomb, when the potential of scientists to do harm was made suddenly and terribly evident, there was some discussion of a Hippocratic oath for scientific researchers. —IEEE Spectrum, 15 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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