bombard

verb

bäm-ˈbärd How to pronounce bombard (audio)
Definition of bombardnext
1
as in to bomb
to use bombs or artillery against the Allies bombarded Germany for a great many months during World War II

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to barrage
to attack with a rapid or overwhelming outpouring of many things at once reporters bombarded the company spokesman with sharp questions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bombard contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bombard are assail, assault, attack, and storm. While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells.

bombarded the city nightly

When is assail a more appropriate choice than bombard?

While the synonyms assail and bombard are close in meaning, assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots.

assailed the enemy with artillery fire

When could assault be used to replace bombard?

While in some cases nearly identical to bombard, assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught.

commandos assaulted the building from all sides

When might attack be a better fit than bombard?

The words attack and bombard can be used in similar contexts, but attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle.

plan to attack the town at dawn

When can storm be used instead of bombard?

The meanings of storm and bombard largely overlap; however, storm implies attempting to break into a defended position.

preparing to storm the fortress

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bombard And Donald Trump's aggressive tariffs were specifically raised to stop deadly drugs from bombarding the US, which the president declared a national emergency. —Ashley Belanger – May 16, ArsTechnica, 16 May 2025 And Ukraine’s long-range strike drones have been bombarding Russia’s fiber-optics factories in order to suppress production of these unjammable drones. —David Axe, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 With a transplant, a patient is bombarded with high-dose chemotherapy to kill the cancerous plasma cells. —David Armstrong, ProPublica, 8 May 2025 The Indian military claimed Pakistan bombarded areas of Kashmir with artillery in retaliation. —Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for bombard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bombard
  1. bomb
  2. barrage
  3. attack
  4. flood
Verb
  • None of it happens if Torre doesn’t bomb the LSAT his senior year of college.
    — Zak Keefer, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • When the Japanese military bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Toguri was trapped with no identification to secure a passage home.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Definition of bomb
Verb
  • Bellier-Beaumont pleaded for leniency, barraging the legal authorities with letters defending Edmond’s character.
    — Jay Cheshes, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 May 2025
  • The update comes as Russia continues to barrage Ukraine with missile strikes three years into its full-scale invasion.
    — Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of barrage
Verb
  • For example, if China can pin down the United States in the Taiwan Strait, Russia and Iran may seize the moment to attack their neighbors.
    — Mark Melton, National Review, 23 May 2025
  • There are several leaf spotting diseases that can attack hydrangeas.
    — Janet B. Carson, Arkansas Online, 23 May 2025
Definition of attack
Verb
  • When a storm is approaching, most evacuation orders are issued for areas where storm surge is a threat or for those near a body of water that is prone to flooding.
    — Mallory Nicholls, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2025
  • Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 May 2025
Definition of flood

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Bombard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bombard. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bombard

Nglish: Translation of bombard for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bombard

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