atomic bomb

noun

Definition of atomic bomb

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

Such was the secrecy surrounding the place where the atomic bomb was developed. — Los Angeles Times, "Escapes: Beyond Barcelona lies the Spain you should know," 29 Aug. 2019 The eruption released 100,000 times the thermal energy of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, ejecting many tons of molten rock, pumice, and hot ash over the course of two days. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Archaeologists discovered an invaluable cache of ritual artifacts at Pompeii," 14 Aug. 2019 As part of the top-secret Manhattan Project, government scientists and the U.S. military dropped the first atomic bomb in the New Mexico desert in 1945. — Washington Post, "Lawmaker: Expand compensation from nuclear weapons testing," 16 July 2019 At the peak of Apollo program spending in 1966, Dreier says, NASA accounted for roughly 4.4% of the federal budget — 6.6% of discretionary spending — more than the Manhattan Project that developed the first atomic bomb. — William Harwood, CBS News, "Apollo 11: How much did it cost to land astronauts on the moon?," 16 July 2019 Scientists everywhere were exploring the peaceful uses of nuclear capability while also studying its dangers, including the effects of atmospheric fallout from atomic bomb tests and the effects on those who worked with radioactive materials. — BostonGlobe.com, "Liane Russell, who studied radiation’s effects on embryos, 95," 19 Aug. 2019 Cheryl Rofer, a retired chemist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the birthplace of the atomic bomb in New Mexico, believes Putin will never succeed. — Alexander Smith, NBC News, "Russian failed nuclear test hints at Putin's dangerous plans to beat U.S. defenses," 13 Aug. 2019 In the third photo in a four-photo sequence, actors drop to the ground, shielding as much of their bodies as possible against an atomic bomb blast. — Scott Harrison, Los Angeles Times, "From the Archives: A-Bomb survival guide," 26 July 2019 In fact, for much of that decade, the United States regularly exploded atomic bombs in the deserts north of Las Vegas, adjacent to what is now Area 51. — Garrett M. Graff, WIRED, "America's Decades-Old Obsession With Nuking Hurricanes (and More)," 26 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'atomic bomb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.