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

Tinian is the island from which the B-29 bombers that dropped the atomic bombs on Japan in World War II departed. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

When the Martians attack in George Pal's 1953 movie, the US army — unsurprisingly — drop an atomic bomb on their invasion fleet, but they're left unscathed thanks to their powerful forcefields. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 4 July 2026

Together, Groves and Oppenheimer chose an isolated mesa near Los Alamos, New Mexico, where a secret laboratory—and eventually a secret city—would be built to design the world's first atomic bomb. — Rebecca Coffey, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

The Manhattan Project detonated the world’s first atomic bomb at Alamogordo, New Mexico. — USA Today, 29 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for atomic bomb

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

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