bombard with questions

Meaning

This expression means to ask someone a large number of questions in rapid succession, often leaving them feeling overwhelmed or defensive. It draws a metaphor from military artillery (bombardment) to emphasize the intensity and volume of the questioning.

Examples

• As soon as the celebrity stepped off the plane, reporters began to bombard her with questions.

  As soon as the celebrity stepped off the plane, reporters began to bombard her with questions.

• Please don't bombard me with questions the moment I walk through the door after work.

  Please don't bombard me with questions the moment I walk through the door after work.

• During the press conference, the spokesperson was bombarded with questions about the budget cuts.

  During the press conference, the spokesperson was bombarded with questions about the budget cuts.

• The eager students would always bombard the guest speaker with questions after the lecture.

  The eager students would always bombard the guest speaker with questions after the lecture.

• I didn't mean to bombard you with questions, but I'm really curious about your trip.

  I didn't mean to bombard you with questions, but I'm really curious about your trip.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ They bombarded to me with questions.

  ✓ They bombarded me with questions.

  'Bombard' is a transitive verb and takes a direct object immediately without the preposition 'to'.

• ✗ The kids bombarded me by questions.

  ✓ The kids bombarded me with questions.

  The verb 'bombard' collocates with the preposition 'with' to indicate the substance of the bombardment.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The angry customers started to ___ the store manager about the sudden price hike.

  💡 Ask a rapid series of questions.

  Show answer

  bombard

• As a new employee, you might get ___ by your curious colleagues on your first day.

  💡 Overwhelmed by inquiries.

  Show answer

  bombarded with questions