drop a bomb
idiom
variants
or drop the bomb
informal
: to do or say something that is very shocking and unexpected
She dropped a bomb with her resignation.
She dropped the bomb on her husband and asked for a divorce.
Examples of drop a bomb in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The same goes for bosses, who often end up entirely out of sight off-screen, preparing to drop a bomb-sized blow that takes up almost the entire arena.
—
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
Unfired cases were also inscribed with hyper-online references, including a series of arrows that, as the gaming publication Polygon pointed out, match the input required to drop a bomb in a popular game called Helldivers 2.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
No, this is not the time to drop a bomb and blow up the whole operation.
—USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
The group clashed with police and neighbors, and police seeking to oust members used a helicopter to drop a bomb on the house on May 13, 1985.
—CBS News, 4 Aug. 2022
One news report stated that on October 30th CPC forces violated a ceasefire and used a DJI Mavic-type drone to drop a bomb on an Central African Armed Forces (FACA) truck causing many casualties.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2021
That postponement will give whoever takes over the job an opportunity to participate in the company’s planning process—and avoid having to drop a bomb so early in their tenure.
—Dan Gallagher, WSJ, 22 Oct. 2021
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Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
Unfired cases were also inscribed with hyper-online references, including a series of arrows that, as the gaming publication Polygon pointed out, match the input required to drop a bomb in a popular game called Helldivers 2.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
No, this is not the time to drop a bomb and blow up the whole operation.
—USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
The group clashed with police and neighbors, and police seeking to oust members used a helicopter to drop a bomb on the house on May 13, 1985.
—CBS News, 4 Aug. 2022
One news report stated that on October 30th CPC forces violated a ceasefire and used a DJI Mavic-type drone to drop a bomb on an Central African Armed Forces (FACA) truck causing many casualties.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2021
That postponement will give whoever takes over the job an opportunity to participate in the company’s planning process—and avoid having to drop a bomb so early in their tenure.
—Dan Gallagher, WSJ, 22 Oct. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Drop a bomb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drop%20a%20bomb. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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