cannonade
Upper-Intermediate (B2)
IPA: //ˌkænəˈneɪd//
KK: /ˈkænəˌneɪd/
intransitive verb
Definition
To fire heavy artillery in a continuous manner, often used in military contexts.
Example
The soldiers prepared to cannonade the enemy positions at dawn.
Tense Forms
Past: cannonaded
Past Participle: cannonaded
Conversation
Did you hear the cannonade during the fireworks show last night?
Yeah, it was so loud! I thought it was actually a battle.
Right? It really felt like a cannonade instead of just fireworks.
I love how they made it so dramatic; it kept everyone excited!
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
bombard
barrage
shell
Antonyms
cease
halt
stop
noun
Definition
A loud and intense attack, often involving heavy artillery fire or harsh words.
Example
The soldiers prepared for the cannonade as the enemy approached.
Conversation
Did you hear that cannonade during the game last night?
Yeah, it was intense! I thought it was going to get really messy.
It felt like everyone was firing off their opinions like a cannonade.
transitive verb
Definition
To attack or bombard someone or something with a series of loud and powerful shots, typically from artillery.
Example
The army decided to cannonade the enemy positions to weaken their defenses.
Tense Forms
Past: cannonaded
Past Participle: cannonaded
Conversation
Did you hear how they plan to cannonade the enemy's position during the exercise?
Yeah, that should create quite the spectacle!
I can't wait to see how effective the cannonade will be in practice.
Root Explanation
Cannonade → It is formed from "cannon" (from Middle French *canon*, meaning a large gun or artillery piece) and "-ade" (a suffix used to denote an action or process). The word "cannonade" refers to the act of firing a cannon or a heavy artillery bombardment.
Memory Tip
Think of a large gun ('cannon') and the action of firing it ('-ade') — that's why cannonade means the act of firing cannons.
Visually Confused Words
annona