bombarded

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bombarded" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe being overwhelmed or attacked with a large number of things, such as information, questions, or physical objects. Example: "After the presentation, I felt bombarded with questions from the audience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

TSB bank, property website Zoopla and the budget hotel chain easyHotel are all set to join the market in the coming weeks, despite waning appetite from investors bombarded by new offers.

The Guardian - Business

Passengers complained that the pop stars bombarded them with food and missiles.

The Guardian

"I got in pretty early this morning and I was absolutely overwhelmed and bombarded with the inbox in front of me," he said in a video message to staff yesterday.

The Guardian

In these circumstances outside observers might expect banks to be trashed and politicians bombarded with eggs and flour, as was the case in Iceland last month.

The Guardian

Messenger, in her book, claims that "often today, we are being bombarded with messages from vested interests to fear all diseases in order for someone to sell some potion or vaccine, when, in fact, history shows that in industrialised countries, these diseases are quite benign and, according to natural health sources, beneficial to the body".

The Guardian - Books

We are bombarded on a daily basis with sweeping extrapolations about the abstract "consumer": their attitudes towards climate change, their expectations of brands and businesses and their purchasing intentions.

The Guardian

In six months, we were bombarded with work including Joe Penhall's Some Voices, Nick Grosso's Peaches and Judy Upton's Ashes and Sand.

The Guardian

As Ulster loyalists torched offices belonging to the non-sectarian Alliance party, bombarded police with missiles and bottles and threatened to turn Belfast City Hall into a slaughterhouse this week they were oblivious to an apposite event occurring south of the Irish border.

The Guardian

When I wrote an Observer column about attitudes towards sex in Ghana, I was bombarded with criticism from both ends of the spectrum.

The Guardian

He was bombarded with advice from outside and inside the party to support the Blair government; it was said, in particular, that a party leader would never be forgiven by the public for criticising a military intervention in which British service personnel were being killed in action.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Being bombarded with phone calls or leaflets annoys people," says Hargraves.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "bombarded" to vividly describe situations where someone or something is overwhelmed by a rapid and intense influx of stimuli, whether physical, informational, or emotional. This word choice effectively conveys a sense of being under duress or attack.

Common error

While "bombarded" effectively conveys being overwhelmed, avoid using it in contexts that are simply busy or filled with activity. Reserve it for situations where there is a sense of intensity or being under pressure, otherwise choose "filled", "crowded" or "busy" instead.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "bombarded" is a verb, specifically the past participle or past tense of the verb "bombard". It often functions as part of a passive construction, indicating that the subject receives an action. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Formal & Business

12%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "bombarded" is a versatile verb that vividly conveys the experience of being overwhelmed or intensely subjected to something. As Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, its prevalence in news and media reflects its effectiveness in describing situations ranging from information overload to literal attacks. While often carrying a negative connotation, its precise meaning is context-dependent, allowing for nuanced communication. To enhance your writing, remember to reserve "bombarded" for situations with a sense of intensity and consider alternatives like "inundated" or "assailed" for slight variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

inundated

Implies being flooded or overwhelmed with something, often a large quantity of items or information.

assailed

Suggests a forceful or violent attack, either physically or verbally.

besieged

Implies being surrounded and pressured, often with requests or demands.

flooded

Similar to inundated, emphasizes being overwhelmed by a large amount of something.

deluged

Like flooded, but with a stronger sense of being overwhelmed by a sudden and heavy downpour.

pelted

Suggests being hit repeatedly with something, often small objects.

barraged

Indicates a sustained and overwhelming attack, often with questions or information.

blasted

Implies a forceful and often destructive impact.

saturated

Suggests being completely filled or soaked with something.

peppered

Implies being targeted with numerous small attacks or questions.

FAQs

How can I use "bombarded" in a sentence?

You can use "bombarded" to describe situations where someone is overwhelmed with something, such as "The politician was "bombarded" with questions from the press" or "The city was "bombarded" with heavy rain."

What can I say instead of "bombarded"?

You can use alternatives like "inundated", "assailed", or "overwhelmed" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "bombarded with" or "bombarded by"?

Both "bombarded with" and "bombarded by" are grammatically correct, but "bombarded with" is more commonly used when referring to receiving a large quantity of something (e.g., information), while "bombarded by" is used when referring to an attacking force or entity (e.g., missiles).

Is "bombarded" always negative in connotation?

While "bombarded" often carries a negative connotation due to its association with being overwhelmed or attacked, it can sometimes be used in a neutral sense to simply indicate receiving a large amount of something. The context dictates the overall sentiment.