car bomb: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/News/Historical/Military
Quick answer
What does “car bomb” mean?
An explosive device placed inside or underneath a vehicle, designed to detonate, typically as a weapon in terrorism, assassination, or guerrilla warfare.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An explosive device placed inside or underneath a vehicle, designed to detonate, typically as a weapon in terrorism, assassination, or guerrilla warfare.
The term can also be used figuratively to describe a devastating, sudden failure or problem within a system or organization.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in both varieties; the term is international due to its association with global news reporting on terrorism.
Connotations
Universally negative, evoking fear, tragedy, and political instability.
Frequency
Equally frequent in UK and US media when reporting on relevant incidents.
Grammar
How to Use “car bomb” in a Sentence
The [group/individual] planted a car bomb outside the [building].A car bomb exploded in the crowded [location], killing [number].Authorities are investigating the car bomb that targeted the [official/convoy].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “car bomb” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The car-bomb threat level was raised to severe.
- They specialised in car-bomb forensics.
American English
- The car-bomb threat level was elevated to high.
- They specialized in car-bomb forensics.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in risk assessment contexts (e.g., 'The security consultancy assessed the threat of car bomb attacks near the corporate headquarters.')
Academic
Used in political science, history, terrorism studies, and criminology.
Everyday
Almost exclusively in the context of news consumption; not used in casual conversation.
Technical
Specific in military, law enforcement, and counter-terrorism discourse, often abbreviated as VBIED.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “car bomb”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “car bomb”
- Using 'car bomb' to refer to any explosion involving a car (e.g., a gas tank explosion, which is an accident, not a weapon).
- Incorrect plural: 'cars bomb' instead of 'car bombs'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A car bomb is specifically inside or under a vehicle. A roadside bomb (or IED) is placed beside the road and may be triggered remotely.
Very rarely and informally (e.g., 'They threatened to car bomb the building'). Standard usage is as a noun compound.
Its primary purposes are to cause mass casualties, destroy property, create fear, and generate media attention for a political or ideological cause.
Yes. A standard car bomb is left to detonate remotely or by timer. A suicide car bomb requires a driver to deliver and detonate the vehicle, ensuring its placement and maximizing psychological impact.
An explosive device placed inside or underneath a vehicle, designed to detonate, typically as a weapon in terrorism, assassination, or guerrilla warfare.
Car bomb is usually formal/news/historical/military in register.
Car bomb: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɑː ˌbɒm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːr ˌbɑːm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the word 'CAR' written on the side of a vehicle, and inside the 'R' is a lit bomb fuse. The 'car' contains the 'bomb'.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CAR BOMB IS A SLEEPING AGENT (inactive until triggered), A CAR BOMB IS A TROJAN HORSE (disguised threat).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'car bomb' LEAST likely to be used accurately?