bombard
B2Formal, but common in news, military, and figurative contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To attack a place with continuous artillery fire or bombs; to subject someone or something to a sustained, overwhelming barrage of something (e.g., questions, information).
To direct a high volume or intensity of things (physical or abstract) at a target continuously and aggressively.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb retains a strong sense of sustained, repeated assault. The figurative use is now more common in general language than the literal military one. The related noun is 'bombardment'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistent. The word is equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations of intense, repeated pressure or attack.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both dialects, slightly elevated in military/political reporting.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] bombard [Object] with [something][Subject] bombard [Object]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “bombard someone with questions”
- “bombarded by the media”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'The marketing team will bombard the target demographic with social media ads.'
Academic
'The study suggests modern consumers are bombarded with too much choice, leading to decision fatigue.'
Everyday
'Since I signed up for that newsletter, they bombard me with promotional emails every day.'
Technical
'The experiment involved bombarding the sample with neutrons to analyse its structure.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The warships began to bombard the coastal defences at dawn.
- Fans bombarded the footballer's social media account with messages of support after his injury.
American English
- The artillery unit was ordered to bombard the enemy position.
- Reporters bombarded the CEO with questions about the company's falling stock price.
adverb
British English
- (None derived directly; 'bombardingly' is extremely rare and non-standard.)
American English
- (None derived directly; 'bombardingly' is extremely rare and non-standard.)
adjective
British English
- (Not standard; use 'bombarding' as participle adjective) The bombarding forces caused widespread damage.
American English
- (Not standard; use 'bombarding' as participle adjective) The bombarding headlines dominated the news cycle.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- During the storm, hail bombarded the roof of our car.
- The teacher bombarded us with homework before the holiday.
- The company bombards its customers with advertisements every time they open the app.
- Historians believe the army bombarded the castle for two weeks before it surrendered.
- The committee was bombarded with contradictory evidence, making a swift decision impossible.
- Modern satellites are designed to withstand being bombarded by micrometeoroids.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BOMB HARD hitting a target over and over. The word sounds like its meaning: a forceful, explosive action.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNICATION IS BOMBARDMENT (e.g., 'bombarded with ads'), ATTENTION IS A TARGET (e.g., 'bombarded by the media').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'бомбить' in the colloquial sense of 'to be very angry'. English 'bombard' lacks the emotional state meaning.
- The direct translation 'обстреливать' is only for the literal military sense. For figurative use (e.g., questions), 'засыпать (вопросами)' is a closer conceptual match.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for a single, isolated attack instead of a sustained series. (Incorrect: 'He bombarded me with one question.')
- Confusing it with 'bomb' as a verb. 'To bomb' means to fail or to drop bombs once; 'to bombard' implies repetition and intensity.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'bombard' CORRECTLY in its most common figurative sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while its origin is military, its figurative use (e.g., 'bombard with questions') is now more common in everyday language.
'To bomb' typically refers to a single act or instance of dropping explosives. 'To bombard' implies a sustained, repeated, and intensive attack, either literal or figurative.
Rarely, but it's possible if the 'barrage' is of positive things, though the core sense of overwhelming intensity remains. E.g., 'The charity was bombarded with donations after the TV appeal.'
The most common and standard noun form is 'bombardment' (e.g., 'a bombardment of advertisements'). The historical noun 'bombard' refers to an early type of cannon.