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 rally marked the 80th anniversary of the U.S. dropping an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, just three days after dropping the first atomic bomb ever used in warfare on Hiroshima, Japan. —Phil Rockrohr, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025

Hiroshi, her second son, was born in 1948, three years after the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki. —Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2025

Bockscar, the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, is housed at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. —Jason Rossi, The Enquirer, 9 Aug. 2025

Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb remains, 80 years later, arguably the single most controversial decision in human history. —Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 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