Boom vs. Boon — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 5, 2023
Boom typically refers to a loud sound or rapid growth, while Boon denotes something beneficial or a blessing.
Difference Between Boom and Boon
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Boom, in its various contexts, can imply a loud explosive noise, like the boom of fireworks on the Fourth of July. Boon, on the other hand, is a word that conveys a positive favor or benefit, often one that is timely and unexpected.
Another interpretation of Boom pertains to economic contexts. A boom in the market denotes a period of rapid economic growth. Contrarily, Boon would be employed to describe an advantageous situation, as in a boon for local businesses.
In marine terminology, Boom represents a long spar used to extend the foot of a sail. This usage is starkly different from Boon, which, irrespective of its context, retains its implication of something favorable or beneficial.
In sound engineering, a 'boom microphone' or 'boom pole' is used to capture audio from a specific location without entering the frame. This technical terminology is far removed from Boon, which, in older literary contexts, might refer to a request or a prayer for something beneficial.
In popular culture, the phrase "baby boom" describes the increased birth rate after World War II. The word Boon, on the other hand, remains consistent in its portrayal of something positive, like describing an unexpected act of kindness as a "boon."
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A loud, deep sound.
A thing that is beneficial or helpful.
Economic Context
Rapid growth in economy.
A timely benefit or advantage.
Nautical Use
A spar extending a sail's foot.
N/A
Sound Engineering
A microphone or pole used for sound.
N/A
Popular Culture Reference
"Baby boom" for post-WWII birth rate.
Refers to unexpected kindness or gift.
Compare with Definitions
Boom
A loud, deep, resonating sound.
The boom of the thunder startled me.
Boon
A favor or request.
He asked for a boon from the king.
Boom
A loud, deep, resonant sound
The deep boom of the bass drum
Boon
An act of kindness.
Her help during tough times was a true boon.
Boom
A period of great prosperity or rapid economic growth
The London property boom
Boon
Something to be thankful for.
Good health is a boon we often take for granted.
Boom
A pivoted spar to which the foot of a vessel's sail is attached, allowing the angle of the sail to be changed.
Boon
Something beneficial or advantageous.
The invention of the internet was a boon for global communication.
Boom
A movable arm over a television or film set, carrying a microphone or camera
A boom mike
Boon
A timely blessing or benefit.
Rain after a long drought was a boon for the farmers.
Boom
A floating beam used to contain oil spills or to form a barrier across the mouth of a harbour or river.
Boon
A thing that is helpful or beneficial
The route will be a boon to many travellers
Boom
Make a loud, deep, resonant sound
Thunder boomed in the sky
Boon
A favour or request.
Boom
Experience a period of great prosperity or rapid economic growth
Business is booming
Boon
Something that provides a benefit or an advantage
A brisk breeze is a boon to sailors.
Boom
To make a deep, resonant sound.
Boon
Convivial; jolly
A boon companion to all.
Boom
To grow, develop, or progress rapidly; flourish
Business is booming.
Boon
(Archaic) Favorable.
Boom
To utter or give forth with a deep, resonant sound
A field commander booming out orders.
Boon
(obsolete) A prayer; petition.
Boom
To cause to grow or flourish; boost.
Boon
(archaic) That which is asked or granted as a benefit or favor; a gift or benefaction.
Boom
To move or position using a crane
Boomed the cargo onto the ship.
Boon
A good thing; a blessing or benefit; a thing to be thankful for.
Finding the dry cave was a boon to the weary travellers.
Anaesthetics are a great boon to modern surgery.
Boom
A deep resonant sound, as of an explosion.
Boon
An unpaid service due by a tenant to his lord.
Boom
A time of economic prosperity.
Boon
The woody portion of flax, separated from the fiber as refuse matter by retting, braking, and scutching.
Boom
A sudden increase, as in popularity.
Boon
(obsolete) Good; prosperous.
Boom
(Nautical) A spar extending usually from a mast to hold the foot, clew, or tack of a sail.
Boon
(archaic) Kind; bountiful; benign.
Boom
A long pole extending upward at an angle from the mast of a derrick to support or guide objects being lifted or suspended.
Boon
(now only in boon companion) gay; merry; jovial; convivial.
Boom
A barrier composed of a chain of floating logs, typically used to block the passage of boats or to arrest the downstream motion of logs in a log drive.
Boon
A prayer or petition.
For which to God he made so many an idle boon.
Boom
A floating barrier serving to catch debris or to contain an oil spill.
Boon
That which is asked or granted as a benefit or favor; a gift; a benefaction; a grant; a present.
Every good gift and every perfect boon is from above.
Boom
A long movable arm used to maneuver and support a microphone.
Boon
The woody portion flax, which is separated from the fiber as refuse matter by retting, braking, and scutching.
Boom
A spar that connects the tail surfaces and the main structure of an airplane.
Boon
Good; prosperous; as, boon voyage.
Boom
A long hollow tube attached to a tanker aircraft, through which fuel flows to another aircraft being refueled in flight.
Boon
Kind; bountiful; benign.
Which . . . Nature boonPoured forth profuse on hill, and dale, and plain.
Boom
To make a loud, hollow, resonant sound.
Thunder boomed in the distance and lightning flashes lit up the horizon.
The cannon boomed, recoiled, and spewed a heavy smoke cloud.
Beneath the cliff, the sea was booming on the rocks.
I can hear the organ slowly booming from the chapel.
Boon
Gay; merry; jovial; convivial.
A boon companion, loving his bottle.
Boom
To exclaim with force, to shout, to thunder.
Boon
A desirable state;
Enjoy the blessings of peace
A spanking breeze is a boon to sailors
Boom
Of a Eurasian bittern, to make its deep, resonant territorial vocalisation.
Boon
Very close and convivial;
Boon companions
Boom
(transitive) To make something boom.
Men in grey robes slowly boom the drums of death.
Boom
(aviation) To subject to a sonic boom.
Boom
To publicly praise.
Boom
To rush with violence and noise, as a ship under a press of sail, before a free wind.
Boom
(computer chess) To rapidly adjust the evaluation of a position away from zero, indicating a likely win or loss.
Boom
To extend, or push, with a boom or pole.
To boom out a sail
To boom off a boat
Boom
(usually with "up" or "down") To raise or lower with a crane boom.
Boom
(intransitive) To flourish, grow, or progress.
The population boomed in recent years.
Business was booming.
Boom
To cause to advance rapidly in price.
To boom railroad or mining shares
Boom
A low-pitched, resonant sound, such as of an explosion.
The boom of the surf.
Boom
A rapid expansion or increase.
You should prepare for the coming boom in the tech industry.
Boom
(aviation) sonic boom
Boom
One of the calls of certain monkeys or birds.
Boom
(computer chess) An instance of booming.
Boom
(nautical) A spar extending the foot of a sail; a spar rigged outboard from a ship's side to which boats are secured in harbour.
Boom
A movable pole used to support a microphone or camera.
Boom
(by extension) A microphone supported on such a pole.
Boom
A horizontal member of a crane or derrick, used for lifting.
Boom
(electronics) The longest element of a Yagi antenna, on which the other, smaller ones are transversally mounted.
Boom
A floating barrier used to obstruct navigation, for military or other purposes; or used for the containment of an oil spill or to control the flow of logs from logging operations.
Boom
A wishbone-shaped piece of windsurfing equipment.
Boom
The section of the arm on a backhoe closest to the tractor.
Boom
A gymnastics apparatus similar to a balance beam.
Boom
A period of prosperity, growth, progress, or high market activity.
Boom
Used to suggest the sound of an explosion.
Crash boom bang
Boom
Used to suggest something happening suddenly and unexpectedly.
Boom
The sound of a bass drum beating.
Boom
The sound of a cannon firing.
Boom
A long pole or spar, run out for the purpose of extending the bottom of a particular sail; as, the jib boom, the studding-sail boom, etc.
Boom
A long spar or beam, projecting from the mast of a derrick, from the outer end of which the body to be lifted is suspended.
Boom
A pole with a conspicuous top, set up to mark the channel in a river or harbor.
Boom
A strong chain cable, or line of spars bound together, extended across a river or the mouth of a harbor, to obstruct navigation or passage.
Boom
A line of connected floating timbers stretched across a river, or inclosing an area of water, to keep saw logs, etc., from floating away.
Boom
A hollow roar, as of waves or cannon; also, the hollow cry of the bittern; a booming.
Boom
A strong and extensive advance, with more or less noisy excitement; - applied colloquially or humorously to market prices, the demand for stocks or commodities and to political chances of aspirants to office; as, a boom in the stock market; a boom in coffee.
Boom
To extend, or push, with a boom or pole; as, to boom out a sail; to boom off a boat.
Boom
To cry with a hollow note; to make a hollow sound, as the bittern, and some insects.
At eve the beetle boomethAthwart the thicket lone.
Boom
To make a hollow sound, as of waves or cannon.
Alarm guns booming through the night air.
Boom
To rush with violence and noise, as a ship under a press of sail, before a free wind.
She comes booming down before it.
Boom
To have a rapid growth in market value or in popular favor; to go on rushingly.
Boom
To cause to advance rapidly in price; as, to boom railroad or mining shares; to create a "boom" for; as to boom Mr. C. for senator.
Boom
A deep prolonged loud noise
Boom
A state of economic prosperity
Boom
A sudden happening that brings good fortune (as a sudden opportunity to make money);
The demand for testing has created a boom for those unregulated laboratories where boxes of specimen jars are processed lik an assembly line
Boom
A pole carrying an overhead microphone projected over a film or tv set
Boom
Any of various more-or-less horizontal spars or poles used to extend the foot of a sail or for handling cargo or in mooring
Boom
Make a resonant sound, like artillery;
His deep voice boomed through the hall
Boom
Hit hard;
He smashed a 3-run homer
Boom
Be the case that thunder is being heard;
Whenever it thunders, my dog crawls under the bed
Boom
Make a deep hollow sound;
Her voice booms out the words of the song
Boom
Grow stronger;
The economy was booming
Boom
A period of significant growth or prosperity.
The tech industry experienced a boom in the early 2000s.
Boom
A movable arm or pole used to hold a microphone or camera.
The director instructed the crew to lower the boom for a better audio capture.
Boom
A spar used to extend the foot of a sail on a ship.
The sailor tightened the sail on the boom as the wind picked up.
Boom
An obstacle or barrier to block or control movement.
The city placed a boom across the river to catch debris.
Common Curiosities
What does Boom typically denote?
Boom usually refers to a loud sound or rapid growth.
Is Boon related to something positive or negative?
Boon denotes something beneficial or positive.
Can Boom refer to economic growth?
Yes, a "boom" can mean a period of rapid economic growth.
Is there a nautical reference for Boom?
Yes, in marine terms, a boom is a spar used to extend the foot of a sail.
What's a "baby boom"?
It's a term used to describe the increased birth rate after World War II.
What does Boon mean in older literary contexts?
In older contexts, Boon might refer to a request or a prayer for something beneficial.
Is there a nautical reference for Boon?
No, Boon does not have a nautical context.
What's a 'boom microphone'?
It's a microphone attached to a long pole, used to capture sound from specific locations.
Can Boon refer to an act of kindness?
Yes, an unexpected act of kindness can be described as a "boon."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.