cost a bomb
/kɒst ə bɒm/
Meaning
To be extremely expensive. This is a common informal British, Irish, and Australian English idiom used to emphasize that something requires a lot of money to buy or maintain.
Examples
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I'd love to buy that designer jacket, but it costs a bomb.
I'd love to buy that designer jacket, but it costs a bomb.
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Fixing the car engine is going to cost a bomb.
Fixing the car engine is going to cost a bomb.
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Their wedding must have cost a bomb; it was so luxurious.
Their wedding must have cost a bomb; it was so luxurious.
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Going on holiday to Tokyo during cherry blossom season costs a bomb.
Going on holiday to Tokyo during cherry blossom season costs a bomb.
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Don't drop that camera, it cost a bomb!
Don't drop that camera, it cost a bomb!
Common Mistakes
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✗ That car costs bomb.
✓ That car costs a bomb.
The indefinite article 'a' is a mandatory part of this idiomatic phrase.
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✗ It costed a bomb to repair the roof.
✓ It cost a bomb to repair the roof.
The past tense of the verb 'cost' remains 'cost', not 'costed'.
Related Expressions
Practice
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I wanted to get the new iPhone, but it is going to ___.
💡 Be extremely expensive.
Show answer
cost a bomb
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That trip to Paris must have ___.
💡 Past tense of being very expensive.
Show answer
cost a bomb