bombardment
B2Formal, often used in news, academic, and military contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A continuous attack with bombs, shells, or other missiles; or a sustained, intense outpouring of things like questions, information, or criticism.
1. A heavy and continuous attack with artillery or aircraft. 2. The act of subjecting someone to a persistent and overwhelming number of something (e.g., questions, advertisements, data).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
While originally and still strongly associated with military attack, its figurative use for any overwhelming, continuous 'attack' of non-physical things is very common.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. Both accept military and figurative senses equally.
Connotations
Identical connotations of intensity, persistence, and being overwhelming.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK media regarding historical military contexts (e.g., WWI, WWII), but overall usage is equally common.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
bombardment of [target] (by [agent])subject [someone] to a bombardment of [something]come under bombardment fromVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “under constant bombardment”
- “a bombardment of questions”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to a market saturated with advertising: 'The consumer faces a daily bombardment of targeted ads.'
Academic
Describing historical events or theoretical concepts: 'The city's surrender followed a week-long artillery bombardment.'
Everyday
Figurative use for overwhelming input: 'I can't focus with this constant bombardment of notifications.'
Technical
Military science: 'The effectiveness of the bombardment was measured by crater analysis.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The artillery continued to bombard the enemy positions throughout the night.
- He was bombarded with job offers after the article was published.
American English
- The media bombarded the public with images of the event.
- Protesters bombarded the senator's office with phone calls.
adverb
British English
- The missiles fell bombardment-heavy on the industrial district.
adjective
British English
- The bombardment campaign lasted for weeks.
- She felt bombardment fatigue from the 24-hour news cycle.
American English
- The bombardment raid caused significant damage.
- He adopted a bombardment-style approach to email marketing.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The loud noise was from the bombardment.
- He doesn't like the bombardment of ads on TV.
- The ancient castle was destroyed by a long bombardment.
- After the interview, she faced a bombardment of questions from reporters.
- The aerial bombardment of the city forced thousands to flee their homes.
- Children today are subjected to a constant bombardment of marketing through social media.
- The general ordered a sustained bombardment to soften the enemy's defences before the ground assault.
- The relentless bombardment of contradictory scientific studies has left the public deeply confused about dietary advice.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BOMB being hurled (BARD-ed) continuously at a place (-MENT).
Conceptual Metaphor
ARGUMENT/INFORMATION IS WAR; ATTENTION IS A LIMITED RESOURCE UNDER ATTACK.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'бомбардировка', which is almost exclusively military. The Russian word rarely carries the strong figurative meaning of a non-stop 'flood' of information, for which 'поток' or 'наплыв' is better.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'bombardement'.
- Using it for a single, isolated attack rather than a sustained series.
- Incorrect preposition: 'bombardment on the city' (less common) instead of 'bombardment of the city'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'bombardment' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its primary meaning is military, it is very commonly used figuratively to describe any intense, continuous, and overwhelming stream of things, like information, questions, or ads.
'Bombardment' implies a sustained, often heavier and more prolonged attack, possibly involving various weapons (artillery, missiles, bombs). 'Bombing' can refer to a single event or act of dropping bombs, and is often associated specifically with aircraft.
Rarely. It almost always carries a negative connotation of being overwhelming, aggressive, or destructive, even in figurative use (e.g., 'a bombardment of love letters' implies it was excessive or unwelcome).
Most commonly 'of' (bombardment of the city). You can also use 'from' to indicate the source (bombardment from enemy guns). The target can 'come under bombardment'.