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 In response, Britain sent a strong naval expedition into Danish waters which, from September 2-5 1807, bombarded Copenhagen. Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025 New filmmakers are often bombarded with advice about embracing short-form media — often for good reason — but making content that simply attracts eyeballs can only get you so far without a larger plan. Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2025 While the Joliot-Curies were bombarding their samples with alpha particles at relatively low speeds, the Michigan State facility can accelerate stable isotopes up to half the speed of light and smash them on a target to produce new radioisotopes. Andrea Richard, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025 Take on some of the tough questions I get bombarded with on college campuses. Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bombard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bombard
Verb
  • An art conservator who'd prefer to be immersed in detail work, Sarah is bombing as the host of a dinner party where her entrepreneur husband (Tom Riley) hopes to impress an obnoxious prospective investor (Tom Goodman-Hill) when a literal explosive goes off in her neighborhood.
    Judy Berman, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
  • In response, Ukrainian tech innovators are looking for alternatives that would enable the robots to drive faster to increase their chances of completing their missions before they get spotted and bombed by Russian kamikaze drones.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The rest remained silent as Israel was barraged with accusations by fellow classmates.
    Sarah Meira Schlager, Sun Sentinel, 2 July 2025
  • 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
Verb
  • In the game, Elliott operated as the right ‘No 10’ (attacking midfielder), passing neatly and playing well in a first half that only offered promise in spurts.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
  • All patients were treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy drugs that help the immune system recognize and attack tumor cells more effectively.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But if so, that original dream did not last long in the face of the torrent of money that soon started flooding his way.
    Moisés Naím, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Americans are still flooding into money market funds, despite the the Federal Reserve’s latest campaign to lower borrowing costs.
    Michelle Fox, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bombard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bombard. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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