boom

boom — noun

1. a low, powerful noise that carries a long way and often comes from something lar

1.nounB2
Definition

a low, powerful noise that carries a long way and often comes from something large, empty, or explosive.

Example

A sudden boom shook the windows just after midnight.

boom + shake the windows

From the bay came the deep boom of a ship's horn.

the boom of + sound source

Common collocations
  • a loud boom
  • a distant boom
  • the boom of guns
  • a boom from outside
Synonyms
  • bang

    a shorter, sharper noise

  • blast

    often tied to an explosion or a strong burst of air

  • rumble

    usually longer and less sudden than 'boom'

Antonyms
  • silence

    complete lack of sound

  • quiet

    a low level of sound rather than a loud one

Grammar Patterns

a boom

the boom of + sound source

a boom from + place

Usage Note

Often used for a single striking noise, especially with 'of' or 'from' to show where it came from: 'the boom of the guns', 'a boom from upstairs'.

Common Mistakes

We heard boom from outside.
We heard a boom from outside.
this sense is countable, so it normally needs an article.

2. a stretch when business, prices, or building activity go up fast and making mone

2.nounC1
Definition

a stretch when business, prices, or building activity go up fast and making money becomes easier than usual.

Example

The city grew rich during the oil boom of the 1970s.

during the boom

Builders made huge profits in the housing boom last year.

boom in housing/property

Common collocations
  • an oil boom
  • a housing boom
  • a postwar boom
  • a boom in trade
Synonyms
  • upswing

    common in economic writing; stresses movement upward

  • expansion

    more neutral and often slower than 'boom'

  • surge

    suggests a sharp jump, often over a shorter time

Antonyms
  • slump

    a period when business or prices fall

  • recession

    an economic period of decline

Grammar Patterns

a boom in + industry/price/sales

during a boom

Usage Note

Common with 'in' plus the part of the economy that is rising, such as housing, trade, exports, or tourism. Distinguish from noun 3, which is about any sharp rise or a fashion for something, not specifically the economy.

Common Mistakes

There was a boom of house prices.
There was a boom in house prices.
the usual preposition is 'in'.
The country had boom after the war.
The country had a boom after the war.
use an article when you mean one period of fast economic growth.

3. a strong rise in the amount of something, or a phase when many more people sudde

3.nounC1
Definition

a strong rise in the amount of something, or a phase when many more people suddenly become interested in it.

Example

Streaming shows created a boom in true-crime podcasts.

a boom in + trend or product

After the gold medal, there was a boom in skate lessons.

there was a boom in + activity

Common collocations
  • a boom in podcasts
  • a boom in tourism
  • a fitness boom
  • a boom in popularity
Synonyms
  • craze

    more informal and more strongly tied to fashion

  • upsurge

    formal; focuses on a rise in amount or activity

  • wave

    good for a movement of interest that spreads through many people

Antonyms
  • decline

    a fall in amount or interest

  • drop

    a decrease, often quicker or more measurable

Grammar Patterns

a boom in + activity/product/hobby

a boom in popularity

Usage Note

Usually singular. Use this sense for trends, hobbies, products, or public interest. Distinguish from noun 2, where the growth is specifically in business or the wider economy.

Common Mistakes

The dance boom started after the show.
The boom in dance started after the show.
this sense often needs 'boom in + noun'.

4. the bar along the lower edge of a sail, moved from side to side to set the sail

4.nounC2
Definition

the bar along the lower edge of a sail, moved from side to side to set the sail at the right angle to the wind.

Example

Ravi ducked as the boom swung across the small boat.

the boom swung across + boat

A loose rope let the boom hit the side hard.

Common collocations
  • the boom swings
  • raise the boom
  • lower the boom
  • hold the boom steady
Synonyms
  • spar

    the broader sailing term for a pole used to support a sail

  • yard

    another sail pole, but on a different part of the rig

Grammar Patterns

the boom swung across + boat

hold/lower/raise the boom

Usage Note

A sailing term. Learners most often meet it with verbs such as 'swing', 'hold', 'raise', and 'lower'.

5. a long rod used above actors to keep a microphone close enough for recording whi

5.nounC1
Definition

a long rod used above actors to keep a microphone close enough for recording while staying out of the camera picture.

Example

The sound assistant raised the boom above the two actors.

hold the boom above + actors

A shadow from the boom fell across the kitchen set.

Common collocations
  • a boom operator
  • raise the boom
  • the boom shadow
  • the boom dips into frame
Synonyms
  • boom pole

    a fuller, more explicit name for the same piece of equipment

  • mic arm

    less standard; used informally for a supporting arm

Grammar Patterns

hold the boom above + person

the boom dips into the shot

Usage Note

Usually refers to the pole used by the sound crew, though in everyday film talk it can also mean the whole microphone rig.

Idioms

boom and bust

idiom

A cycle where a time of fast economic growth is quickly followed by a sharp downturn.

The tech industry often experiences a boom and bust cycle.

Did the housing market's boom and bust affect your family?

boom — verb

Word family

  • booming
    adjectiveC1
  • boomtown
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

Use 'boom' when growth feels fast, energetic, and often profitable. A town, market, or business can boom after a bridge opens, oil is found, or demand suddenly rises. 'Grow' is the broad everyday word and does not suggest speed by itself. 'Expand' is also broad, often used for size, area, or operations, and can sound more planned and neutral. 'Surge' focuses on a sharp jump in numbers, prices, or activity, sometimes over a short period. 'Flourish' stresses healthy success and can describe a longer, steadier good period. Compare: 'Tourism boomed after the airport opened.' 'The company expanded into two new cities and gradually grew stronger.'

grow ↗expand ↗surge ↗flourish ↗

Etymology

Imitative sound formationMiddle EnglishDutchEnglish

English has two main histories behind boom. The sound word grew from an imitative form in Middle English, copying the feel of a low, heavy noise. From that sound idea, English later developed the business and popularity senses, where rapid growth feels like a sudden burst. The pole senses, however, come from Dutch boom, meaning 'tree' or 'beam', which gave English a word for a long bar or spar.