bombshell

noun

ˈbäm-ˌshel How to pronounce bombshell (audio)
Definition of bombshellnext
as in surprise
something that makes a strong impression because it is so unexpected discovering that I had a long-lost sister was an absolute bombshell

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 bombshell But the bigger bombshell isn’t some secret admission or smoking gun. — John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026 As Vanity Fair’s Chris Smith wrote in his May bombshell profile of LSU’s firestarter head football coach, The Lane Kiffin Show is never dull. — Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 17 July 2026 After Terry entered the villa earlier in the season as a bombshell, alongside Caleb McDaniel and Sol Mýa, she initially got coupled up with Gabriel Vasconcelos due to a fan vote. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026 The pair met when Hannah entered as a bombshell in episode 2 and chose Marco as her partner. — Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bombshell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bombshell
  1. surprise
  2. shock
  3. jolt
  4. revelation
Noun
  • The designers have only one day to create this look — no surprise there.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 July 2026
  • Nationwide, Democratic lawmakers have been making surprise visits to ICE detention facilities after a federal judge ruled in March that the Department of Homeland Security cannot bar members of Congress from conducting unannounced inspections.
    — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of surprise
Noun
  • The two shocks in this article, the war and the weather, have already drawn blood in Kenya.
    — Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The manufacturer has received 555 customer reports of the products melting, sparking and smoking, resulting in 27 fires and 15 burn or electrical shock injuries, the agency said.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of shock
Noun
  • There are no lyrics, no mixing inconsistencies, no jolts of experimental hiss.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026
  • Each bite released a jolt of salty, tangy, deeply savory marinade.
    — Ali Francis, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 July 2026
Definition of jolt
Noun
  • But that conviction was dismissed after the revelation that a juror in the trial had not disclosed a domestic violence incident in her own background in order to win a seat on the panel, The Denver Post reports.
    — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Now in the spotlight, the case has stoked outrage and concern in China especially after a tightening of rules in the wake of another scandal – the revelation in 2018 that babies had been born from embryos gene-edited by Chinese scientist He Jiankui.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of revelation

Browse Nearby Words

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bombshell
bombshells
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Cite this Entry

“Bombshell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bombshell. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bombshell

Nglish: Translation of bombshell for Spanish Speakers

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