bunker buster

noun

: a bomb designed to penetrate the earth's surface and explode underground

Examples of bunker buster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
On September 27, Israel assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, by dropping between 60 to 80 bunker buster bombs on a densely populated neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Sarah E. Parkinson, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2024 Israel isn't believed to have the bunker buster bombs that the Pentagon has nor the means to deliver them. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 10 Oct. 2024 One of them in the Red Sea, where our CBS' David Martin reported the U.S. used a 5,000 pound bunker buster bomb in Yemen just this past week. CBS News, 2 June 2024 During that time, the United States has transferred at least 15,000 bombs, including 2,000-pound bunker busters, and more than 50,000 155mm artillery shells. Claire Parker, Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2023 And during that time, the United States has transferred at least 15,000 bombs, including 2,000-pound bunker busters, and more than 50,000 155mm artillery shells. John Hudson, Washington Post, 9 Dec. 2023 Additionally, Israel will require precision bombs to minimize civilian casualties as well as bunker busters to destroy the vast network of tunnels that Hamas uses to move its weapons and terrorists throughout Gaza. The Editors, National Review, 19 Oct. 2023 The warthogs are each capable of carrying approximately 16 bunker busters, otherwise known as GBU-39/B bombs. Timothy Nerozzi, Fox News, 28 Apr. 2023 General-purpose bombs have a thin steel casing filled with explosives; the bunker buster had a narrower profile, with a thicker casing and less explosives. David Hambling, Popular Mechanics, 19 Sep. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bunker buster was in 1985

Dictionary Entries Near bunker buster

Cite this Entry

“Bunker buster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bunker%20buster. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!