bombshell

Name: bombshell, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈbɑmʃɛl/

//ˈbɑmʃɛl// noun

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“bombshell” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #23,762. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#23,762
frequency rank, English: 31,241
“B” headwords: 13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any grenade, mortar shell, or artillery shell (hollow metal object) containing a charge that can explode.

Corpus desk

Index EN-bombshell · bombshell · English

bombshell · rank #23,762 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

FREQ-MID #23,762
LEN-LONG 9 letters
VOW-2 2 vowels
CONFUS-0 No pairs
VAR-HIGH 13 variants
BOOK-DENSE 31,241
PHOTO-FINISH Blanchard

Nearest frequency peer: Blanchard (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Bertha

76,242
Bette

76,241
Blanchard

76,240
bombshell

76,239
bowing

76,238
brewed

76,237

What this shows Bars show where “bombshell” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Key facts for bombshell
Property	Value
Headword	bombshell
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈbɑmʃɛl/
Letters	9
Frequency rank	#23,762
Misspellings tracked	13
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bombshell” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). bombshell lands here:

#23,762

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around bombshell (IPA /ˈbɑmʃɛl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #23,762 among 31,241 “B” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for bombshell, with forms such as "bbombshell", "bmobshell", and "bobmshell". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From bomb + shell. The correct English form is bombshell, spelled B-O-M-B-S-H-E-L-L.

Definition

1
Any grenade, mortar shell, or artillery shell (hollow metal object) containing a charge that can explode.
2
Something that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational.
3
Someone who is very attractive; a sex symbol.

Etymology

From bomb + shell.

This word in other languages

bomba(Español)bombe(Français)Bombe(Deutsch)bomba(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

bbombshell
bmobshell
bobmshell
bombbshell
bombhsell
bombsehll
bombshel
bombshhell
bombshlel
bombsshell
bommbshell
bomsbhell
obmbshell

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of bombshell - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

Edit distance from "bombshell"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 6, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "bombshell"?

"bombshell" is spelled B-O-M-B-S-H-E-L-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɑmʃɛl/.

What does "bombshell" mean?

As a noun, "bombshell" means: Any grenade, mortar shell, or artillery shell (hollow metal object) containing a charge that can explode.

What are common misspellings of "bombshell"?

Common misspellings include "bbombshell", "bmobshell", "bobmshell", "bombbshell", "bombhsell". The correct spelling is "bombshell".

How do you pronounce "bombshell"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bombshell" is /ˈbɑmʃɛl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "bombshell"?

From bomb + shell. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "bombshell", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Blanchard#23,761 cancerous#23,772 carcinoma#23,774 affirming#23,739

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

auctioneer13 variants attainment13 variants corrugated13 variants workflow13 variants

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.