Thesaurus results for BOMBARD

Q: How does the verb 'bombard' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bombard are assail , assault , attack , and storm . While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells. // bombarded the city nightly

Q: When is 'assail' a more appropriate choice than 'bombard'?

While the synonyms assail and bombard are close in meaning, assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots. // assailed the enemy with artillery fire

Q: When could 'assault' be used to replace 'bombard'?

While in some cases nearly identical to bombard , assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught. // commandos assaulted the building from all sides

Q: When might 'attack' be a better fit than 'bombard'?

The words attack and bombard can be used in similar contexts, but attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle. // plan to attack the town at dawn

Q: When can 'storm' be used instead of 'bombard'?

The meanings of storm and bombard largely overlap; however, storm implies attempting to break into a defended position. // preparing to storm the fortress

bombard

verb

bäm-ˈbärd

Definition of bombard next

as in to bomb

to use bombs or artillery against the Allies bombarded Germany for a great many months during World War II

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to barrage

to attack with a rapid or overwhelming outpouring of many things at once reporters bombarded the company spokesman with sharp questions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bombard contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bombard are assail, assault, attack, and storm. While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells.

bombarded the city nightly

When is assail a more appropriate choice than bombard?

While the synonyms assail and bombard are close in meaning, assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots.

assailed the enemy with artillery fire

When could assault be used to replace bombard?

While in some cases nearly identical to bombard, assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught.

commandos assaulted the building from all sides

When might attack be a better fit than bombard?

The words attack and bombard can be used in similar contexts, but attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle.

plan to attack the town at dawn

When can storm be used instead of bombard?

The meanings of storm and bombard largely overlap; however, storm implies attempting to break into a defended position.

preparing to storm the fortress

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bombard Anyone who seeks out career advice (in any field) is destined to get bombarded with metaphors. —

Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 8 May 2026 To test the thermal system under flight conditions, CIRA used its own in-house plasma wind tunnel — the largest in the world — to bombard the components with a jet of gas blasted at 10 times the speed of sound. —

Josh Dinner, Space.com, 6 May 2026 Inside a hotel in the city, anchor Bernard Shaw reported live as airstrikes bombarded the city. —

Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 May 2026 Her prank of lying in wait for each of her housemates, bombarding them with a Super Soaker, and then enlisting them in her eco-army of Seussian extremists was just pure wonderful delight. —

Brian Moylan, Vulture, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bombard

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bombard

Verb

Most of these guys bomb because they can’t get used to the losing.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 May 2026
Well this immigrant grandma never murdered 180 schoolgirls in Iran by bombing them to pieces.

— Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2026