1
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

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2
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

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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 That's because trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere into their trunks, within which rings form as the tree grows and supernova radiation bombarding Earth should lead to an increase in radioactive isotopes of carbon in our planet's atmosphere. Robert Lea, Space.com, 13 June 2025 Days later, he was bombarded with more than 100 texts and calls from his ex-wife Erika Sandoval. Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 11 June 2025 That last word — relevant — is doing a lot of work in an environment where job seekers are bombarded by scams, outdated listings and ghost recruiters. Tor Constantino, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025 That proximity has seen the city bombarded throughout Russia's full-scale invasion. David Brennan, ABC News, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bombard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bombard
Verb
  • Trump said military pilots who successfully bombed Iran will be guests for a flyover of military planes during the patriotic ceremony.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 5 July 2025
  • The Twelve-Day War between Israel and Iran in June concluded shortly after the United States intervened by bombing Iranian nuclear sites with 30,000-pound bunker busters dropped by strategic B-2 Spirit stealth bombers.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • When Murkowski finally appeared on the floor, she was quickly surrounded by Thune, Barrasso, Graham and Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), who barraged her on all sides with points and interjections.
    Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 29 June 2025
  • But, once the accusation spread, Samara was barraged with threats.
    Eyal Press, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • Boone acknowledged that location will be key for Stroman, who can no longer attack hitters head-on at this stage of his career.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 28 June 2025
  • The wild and ugly scenes saw rioters attack law enforcement with rocks and Molotov cocktails while others burned vehicles and other property.
    Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Friends and family flooded the comments with words of sympathy and cherished memories of Page.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 1 July 2025
  • But two of the endeavor’s most compelling aspects are difficult to convey in any individual image, no matter how spectacular: the sheer amount of data Rubin will produce and the speed with which those data will flood into astronomers’ work.
    Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bombard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bombard. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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