bomb squad: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “bomb squad” mean?
A specialized unit of police, military, or emergency services trained to locate, defuse, and dispose of bombs and other explosive devices.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specialized unit of police, military, or emergency services trained to locate, defuse, and dispose of bombs and other explosive devices.
The term can also be used metaphorically to describe any team assembled to urgently address a serious, explosive crisis (e.g., in IT, finance).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. Concept and terminology are identical.
Connotations
Identical connotations of danger, expertise, and emergency response.
Frequency
Equally common in news reports and police procedurals in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “bomb squad” in a Sentence
The bomb squad + [verb] (disarmed/arrived/searched).[Subject] + called/alerted + the bomb squad.A member of + the bomb squad.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bomb squad” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The package was suspicious, so the shopkeeper bomb-squaded the police? (Non-standard/incorrect. No verb form exists.)
American English
- They needed to bomb squad the situation? (Non-standard/incorrect. No verb form exists.)
adverb
British English
- The device was handled bomb-squad carefully? (Non-standard/awkward. 'Expertly' or 'cautiously' is preferred.)
American English
- They worked bomb-squad slowly? (Non-standard/awkward. 'Methodically' is preferred.)
adjective
British English
- The bomb-squad vehicle was parked on the high street.
- He has bomb-squad training.
American English
- The bomb-squad robot approached the package.
- She wore a bomb-squad helmet.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphor: 'The IT bomb squad was called in to fix the critical server failure.'
Academic
Rare, except in criminology or military history texts discussing counter-terrorism tactics.
Everyday
Used in news reports about suspicious packages or terrorist threats.
Technical
Precise term for the police/military unit responsible for rendering explosive devices safe.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bomb squad”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bomb squad”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bomb squad”
- Using 'bomb squad' to refer to bomb-making criminals (incorrect).
- Confusing with 'SWAT team' (which may work with them but has a broader tactical role).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team is a tactical unit for high-risk operations. A bomb squad is a specialized unit for explosives. They may work together, but their functions are distinct.
No, 'bomb squad' is exclusively a noun. You cannot say 'they bomb-squaded the area'. Correct usage is 'they called in the bomb squad' or 'the bomb squad was deployed'.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit or team. 'Bomb squad' is the common term, while 'EOD' is the official technical designation used by many military and police forces.
Yes, especially in IT and management jargon. It can metaphorically describe a team urgently deployed to solve a critical, 'ticking time bomb' style problem (e.g., a major software bug, a financial scandal).
A specialized unit of police, military, or emergency services trained to locate, defuse, and dispose of bombs and other explosive devices.
Bomb squad: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɒm ˌskwɒd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɑːm ˌskwɑːd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “"It's a job for the bomb squad" (metaphorically: a situation requiring specialist, urgent intervention).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SQUAD of people in heavy protective suits carefully handling a ticking BOMB. The two words are directly descriptive of the unit's function.
Conceptual Metaphor
CRISIS IS AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE; PROBLEM-SOLVING IS DISARMAMENT.
Practice
Quiz
In a metaphorical business context, what might 'the bomb squad' refer to?