Definition of bombardnext
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 Persian Gulf countries have complained they were not given adequate time to prepare for the torrent of Iranian drones and missiles bombarding their territory. ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026 And reporters writing about the show have bombarded him with questions about the forthcoming HBO TV adaptation of the books. Eliana Dockterman, Time, 5 Mar. 2026 At a time when campaigns bombard voters with texts, emails and mailers, his team is testing a more personal approach. Aarón Torres, Dallas Morning News, 2 Mar. 2026 He was bombarded with messages after the album came out, but has not yet heard the song. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bombard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bombard
Verb
  • In Lebanon and parts of Syria, Israel detonated thousands of pagers of Hezbollah officials and bombed the group’s headquarters in southern Beirut, killing its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
    Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The United States went on high alert last June over concerns of retaliation from Tehran, after the United States and Israel bombed three Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day war.
    Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Residents of Syracuse, New York — America’s snowiest city — once barraged a service hotline with street neglect complaints during blizzards, even if plows had passed two hours earlier but the work was hidden by fresh snow.
    Jeff McMurray, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2026
  • We’re often barraged with a series of facts, dates and notable events, and the results can be dry as dust.
    Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • On Thursday, Iran’s new Supreme Leader said that his country would keep closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which about a fifth of the world’s oil flows, and more vessels in the Persian Gulf were attacked, including two oil tankers that were set ablaze off the coast of Iraq.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Iran attacked two oil tankers off the coast of Iraq overnight, setting them ablaze.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The Hall of Fame coach flooded the playbook with postups – many seeing Green throw the entry pass – against an undersized Oklahoma City front line.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Large hail, damaging winds, flooding rainfall and an elevated, non-zero threat for tornadoes will be possible.
    Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bombard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bombard. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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