percussion
noun
per·cus·sion
pər-ˈkə-shən 
1
: the act of percussing: such as
a
: the striking of a percussion cap so as to set off the charge in a firearm
b
: the beating or striking of a musical instrument
c
: the act or technique of tapping the surface of a body part to learn the condition of the parts beneath by the resultant sound
2
: the striking of sound on the ear
3
: percussion instruments that form a section of a band or orchestra
percussion
adjective
Examples of percussion in a Sentence
He plays percussion for the band.
The marimba is a percussion instrument.
Recent Examples on the Web
But others who may have once found the genre unfamiliar are introduced to the thrill of hearing a killer pop chorus filtered through riotous guitars and punk percussion.
—
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Aug. 2025
The swelling sound, produced by trumpets of all sizes plus timpani, chimes, and other percussion, made for a rather magnificent start.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 22 July 2025
Chicago’s Third Coast Percussion commissioned the violinist to write a piece for them, her first for percussion.
—Beth Wood, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2025
In part, blame Stack’s production: The trappings of sonic radicalism and aggression—industrial guitars that hum like broken TVs, percussion that pounds from all directions—belie what’s essentially smooth, streamable fare.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for percussion
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Aug. 2025
The swelling sound, produced by trumpets of all sizes plus timpani, chimes, and other percussion, made for a rather magnificent start.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 22 July 2025
Chicago’s Third Coast Percussion commissioned the violinist to write a piece for them, her first for percussion.
—Beth Wood, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2025
In part, blame Stack’s production: The trappings of sonic radicalism and aggression—industrial guitars that hum like broken TVs, percussion that pounds from all directions—belie what’s essentially smooth, streamable fare.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for percussion
Cite this Entry
“Percussion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percussion. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
percussion
noun
per·cus·sion
pər-ˈkəsh-ən
1
: the act of tapping sharply
especially
: the striking of a percussion cap so as to set off the charge in a firearm
2
: the striking of sound sharply on the ear
Medical Definition
percussion
noun
per·cus·sion
pər-ˈkəsh-ən
1
: the act or technique of tapping the surface of a body part to learn the condition of the parts beneath by the resulting sound
2
: massage consisting of the striking of a body part with light rapid blows
called also tapotement
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share