Meanings
plural bombshells
- 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, →OCLC2 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 DoubtU.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 - 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 - An attractive contestant introduced midway through a dating reality show as a disruptive challenger or game changer.
This week, a hot new bombshell enters the villa.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny grenade, mortar shell, or artillery shell (hollow metal object) containing a charge that can explode.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From bomb + shell. The dating show sense was popularized by the series Love Island in 2015.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian бо́мба, снаря́д
- бо́мба (bómba)a bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- снаря́д (snarjád)a bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
Catalan bomba, obús
- bombaa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- obúsa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
Finnish pommi, seksipommi
- pommisomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- seksipommisomeone who is very attractive
- povipommisomeone who is very attractive
French bombe, obus
- bombea bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- obusa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- surprisesomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- bombesomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- bombesomeone who is very attractive
- avion de chassesomeone who is very attractive
- bonnassesomeone who is very attractive
German Bombe, Granate
- Bombea bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- Granatea bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- Explosivgeschossa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- Bombesomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- Sexbombesomeone who is very attractive
- Granatesomeone who is very attractive
Greek οβίδα, σεξοβόμβα
- οβίδα (ovída)a bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- σεξοβόμβα (sexovómva)someone who is very attractive
Hungarian bombázó, szexbomba
- bombázósomeone who is very attractive
- szexbombasomeone who is very attractive
Icelandic sprengja, sprengikúla
- sprengjaa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- sprengikúlaa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- óvænt atviksomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- þruma úr heiðskíru loftisomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- stórviðburðursomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- æsifréttaefnisomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- æsifregnsomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- kynbombasomeone who is very attractive
Irish leadhb, bean bhreá
- leadhbsomeone who is very attractive
- bean bhreásomeone who is very attractive
- spéirbheansomeone who is very attractive
- stumpasomeone who is very attractive
Italian bomba, granata
- bombaa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- granataa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- notizia clamorosasomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- schiantosomeone who is very attractive
Norwegian Bokmål sexbombe
- sexbombesomeone who is very attractive
Persian خمپاره
- خمپاره (xompâre)a bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
Polish pocisk, sensacja
- pociska bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- sensacjasomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- seksbombasomeone who is very attractive
Portuguese bomba, granada
- bombaa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- granadaa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- bombasomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- sensaçãosomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- aviãosomeone who is very attractive
Russian бо́мба, снаря́д
- бо́мба (bómba)a bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- снаря́д (snarjád)a bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- сенса́ция (sensácija)something that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- бо́мба (bómba)something that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- секс-бо́мба (sɛks-bómba)someone who is very attractive
Spanish bomba, bombazo
- bombaa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- bombazoa bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- bombazosomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
- pibónsomeone who is very attractive
- bombónsomeone who is very attractive
Swedish bombnedslag, sexbomb
- bombnedslagsomeone who is very attractive
- sexbombsomeone who is very attractive
Ukrainian бо́мба, снаря́д
- бо́мба (bómba)a bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- снаря́д (snarjád)a bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
Welsh tân-belen, taranfollt
- tân-belena bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact
- taranfolltsomething that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational
Cite this entry
bombshell. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bombshell
“bombshell.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bombshell. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bombshell,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bombshell.
Source: bombshell on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.