bombshell

What it means

1. historicalAny grenade, mortar shell, or artillery shell (hollow metal object) containing a charge that can explode.

   Synonyms: bomb[Appendix:Glossary

2. figurativelySomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational.

   "This—this is a bombshell!" exclaimed the Colonel. "What does it mean?" "Politics," replied Carrados tersely.

   1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

   2 more examples

   Singer and Jeffreys had focused their attention on cancer risk, but the bombshell of the report was the danger to children.

   2010, Naomi Oreskes, Erik M. Conway, chapter 5, in Merchants of Doubt

   U.S. President Donald Trump’s bombshell proposal to take over the Gaza Strip and relocate its Palestinian inhabitants has made the forced transfer of populations – a war crime – a policy discussion, galvanizing Arab states.

   2025 February 6, Taylor Luck, Ghada Abdulfattah, “How Trump’s proposed plan for Gaza has united an outraged Arab world”, in The Christian Science Monitor

3. broadlySomeone who is very attractive; a sex symbol.

   Diana Dors, the 1950s blonde bombshell

   1 more example

   The singer once identified by her shock of green hair has gone blonde and full bombshell, swapping her trademark sweats for a style more domme than deb: pink Gucci corset and skirt over Agent Provocateur skivvies, accessorized with latex gloves and leggings.

   2021 May 4, Ruth La Ferla, “On That Bombshell Billie Eilish Cover for British Vogue”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

In a sentence

"This—this is a bombshell!" exclaimed the Colonel. "What does it mean?" "Politics," replied Carrados tersely.

1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

Where it comes from

From bomb + shell. The dating show sense was popularized by the series Love Island in 2015.