bombshell

bomb·shell | \ ˈbäm-ˌshel

How to pronounce bombshell (audio)

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Definition of bombshell

1 : bomb sense 1a

2a : one that is stunning, amazing, or devastating The book was a political bombshell.

b : a person who is the cause and object of sensational and usually widespread attention, excitement, or attraction a blonde bombshell [=a glamorously attractive blonde woman]

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Examples of bombshell in a Sentence

discovering that I had a long-lost sister was an absolute bombshell

Recent Examples on the Web It's been two years since bombshell reports from the New York Times and The New Yorker about now-disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein propelled the #MeToo movement to the mainstream. — Rachel King, Fortune, "The 10 Best Business Books of 2019," 1 Dec. 2019 In a bombshell report by The Athletic on Tuesday, former Astros player Mike Fiers claimed the team used a hidden video feed to observe opponents’ pitching signs. — Jason Duaine Hahn, PEOPLE.com, "Justin Verlander Wins Second AL Cy Young Award in His Career: It ‘Gives Me New Perspective’," 14 Nov. 2019 When Domingo Morel’s family moved to Providence from Union City, New Jersey—which had narrowly avoided a state takeover of its own—in 1993, another bombshell report on the poor state of the city’s schools had just been released. — Adam Harris, The Atlantic, "Why Rhode Island’s Governor Is Taking Over Providence’s Public Schools," 29 Oct. 2019 The footage allowed for a quick costume change for the panel, who were shown reacting to the 2016 bombshell report. — Washington Post, "Aidy Bryant broke character on SNL. It made a good sketch great.," 30 Sep. 2019 That was clear from a bombshell report in The New Yorker that exposed the secrecy and how former Media Lab director Joi Ito worked to keep Epstein’s money hidden by marking donations anonymous. — BostonGlobe.com, "pled guilty in 2008 to two charges of soliciting a prostitute," 18 Sep. 2019 Kelly, who was also the subject of the bombshell documentary Surviving R. Kelly earlier this year, has maintained his innocence throughout his legal troubles. — Helen Murphy, PEOPLE.com, "R. Kelly's Girlfriend Joycelyn Savage Says She Is a 'Victim' as She Speaks Out Against the Singer," 23 Nov. 2019 For Mark Zuckerberg in particular, one bombshell has chased the last. — Wired, "Banning Micro-Targeted Political Ads Won’t End the Practice," 22 Nov. 2019 Valve released its excellent Index virtual reality headset in May, and at the time everyone expected a bombshell game to go along with it. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "Half-Life: Alyx is a full-length VR prequel coming in 2020, and Valve Index owners get it free," 21 Nov. 2019

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

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bomb release line

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Last Updated

11 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Bombshell.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bombshell. Accessed 11 December 2019.

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