bomb shell
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Puzzle #266 · February 22, 2026
Jean Harlow is widely considered the first woman to be called a ‘bombshell’.
She was already referred to as the ‘blonde bombshell’ when in 1933 she starred in a film titled Bombshell. This cemented not only her nickname as the ‘blonde bombshell’, but also popularized the term ‘bombshell’ to describe a woman of shocking and stunning beauty.
The term is still used. Today's blonde bombshells include Margot Robbie, Sydney Sweeney, Blake Lively, and Anya Taylor-Joy.
A similar term for male celebrities that came into vogue starting in the 1920's was heartthrob or in the 1930's and 40's, dreamboat.
She was already referred to as the ‘blonde bombshell’ when in 1933 she starred in a film titled Bombshell. This cemented not only her nickname as the ‘blonde bombshell’, but also popularized the term ‘bombshell’ to describe a woman of shocking and stunning beauty.
The term is still used. Today's blonde bombshells include Margot Robbie, Sydney Sweeney, Blake Lively, and Anya Taylor-Joy.
A similar term for male celebrities that came into vogue starting in the 1920's was heartthrob or in the 1930's and 40's, dreamboat.
Puzzle Appearances
The expression bomb shell has appeared in 3 puzzles:
- Puzzle #48 on July 19, 2025
- Puzzle #136 on October 15, 2025
- Puzzle #266 on February 22, 2026
Rate of Appearance in English Language Print
Google's Ngram project shows how often a pair of words has appeared in print every year since the 1800's.
Data from Google Books Ngram Viewer. Licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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