Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

the bomb

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.60 in modern English

Syllables
the bomb
IPA
16
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The atomic bomb; the capability to launch a nuclear attack.

Informal; Uncountable

noun

A success; something excellent.

Slang; Uncountable

noun

Alternative form of the bomb (as in a nuclear bomb)

Example Sentences

Etymology

Attested in reference to nuclear weapons or the capacity to use them since 1932; see quotations, below. As slang for something excellent, the phrase is attested since the 1960s; compare go down a bomb, UK theatre slang during the 1950s meaning “be a major success”. For further etymology see bomb.

Usage

Inflected Forms

the bombs (plural) da bomb (alternative)

Phrases

bomb-ass the bomb diggity the bomb diggy

Synonyms

the shit

Questions

What does the bomb mean?
The atomic bomb; the capability to launch a nuclear attack.
Where does the bomb come from?
Attested in reference to nuclear weapons or the capacity to use them since 1932; see quotations, below. As slang for something excellent, the phrase is attested since the 1960s; compare go down a bomb, UK theatre slang during the 1950s meaning “be a major success”. For further etymology see bomb.

How to pronounce the bomb

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “the bomb”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “the bomb”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “the bomb” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.