Boom Meaning and Definition
Boom
Pronunciation
/buːm/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A sudden, intense, and often startling noise, typically produced by an explosion or loud report.
Examples
- The fireworks exploded with a deafening boom that startled everyone.
- The helicopter’s engine caused a loud boom as it took off from the runway.
Synonyms
- Bang
- Crash
- Report
Antonyms
- Whisper
- Whimper
Etymology
From Middle English “boom,” imitating the sound
Usage Notes
Informal usage: “The movie ended with a loud boom.” Formal usage: “The sudden boom was caused by the explosion.”
Cultural References
- “Boom” was used as the title of a TV show about a group of firefighters in the 1970s.
- In the movie “Apollo 13,” the astronauts hear a loud boom when their spacecraft is damaged.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
- “Bang-bang” (used to describe rapid-fire shots, often in a playful or trivial context)
- “Boom goes the dynamite” (used to describe sudden and intense action)
Related Words or Phrases
- Blowout
- Kaboom
- Ruckus
Collocations
- Loud boom
- Sudden boom
- Deafening boom
Frequency of Use
The word “boom” is commonly used in informal conversation, but less frequently in formal writing or official documents.
Common Misspellings
- Boome
- Booma
- Booms