as in thud
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
In frustration, she gave the jammed copier a thump with her fist.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to slap
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
thumped the desk with his hand as he delivered his speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
playfully knocked his younger brother down and began to thump him with a foam bat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of thump
Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
There was a sudden, loud thump, and Bernie Watermolen brought us awake with a yell that was enough to raise the dead.
—Doris Decleene, Outdoor Life, 25 Feb. 2026
ABC News, 10 May 2026
There was no bass thumping on Saturday, no one standing around having a catch and doing minimal work.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for thump
Noun
The Ambeo Mini comes with six drivers, including two four-inch woofers that push bass down to 43Hz, creating theater-quality thump without needing a separate subwoofer.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
There was a sudden, loud thump, and Bernie Watermolen brought us awake with a yell that was enough to raise the dead.
—Doris Decleene, Outdoor Life, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
Jack McGlynn scored a goal in each half and the Houston Dynamo thumped Los Angeles FC 4-1 on Sunday night.
—ABC News, 10 May 2026
There was no bass thumping on Saturday, no one standing around having a catch and doing minimal work.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for thump
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thump
Noun
-
Canet has to do some gymnastics to sell several of his conceits, and a few reveals land with the thud of too-easy convenience.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
The last-place Mets opened their nine-game road trip 5-2 and closed it with a thud.—
CBS New York Team,
CBS News,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
First baseman Ashley Griffin slapped an RBI single into center field, scoring catcher Beth Damon, extending the lead to 5-1 and ending Braswell’s day.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 May 2026
-
Firstman all but preemptively slapped an A24 logo on Club Kid, which doesn’t have distribution yet as of this writing, but his film really would fit into their stable of commercially friendly art flicks, down to its gooey heart.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The parallels between Ines’ dilemma and that of a nation being asked to lick its wounds in silence — in the name of moving on from past miseries — are present but elusive.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2026
-
At one point A’zion licks the digitally de-aged Mick Jagger’s face.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
For a club already facing relegation on the pitch, their own fans may have just dealt them the final, crushing blow.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
The decision by the Senate's parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, deals a blow to Trump and his administration, which has sought the money for security purposes related to the ballroom.—
Nolan D. McCaskill,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 May 2026
-
One morning, a cop knocked on my door with a summons.—
Abraham Jiménez Enoa,
The Dial,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Her silver nail polish—reminiscent of the shade worn by Lou Reed (from one New York legend to another) in footage shown during Todd Haynes’s documentary The Velvet Underground—sparkles as Gaga pounds the keys of her piano throughout the film.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
15 May 2026
-
The park in Arlington features pulse-pounding water slides, relaxing lazy rivers, and family-friendly play areas.—
Natassia Paloma,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Videos of the Saturday night melee at a Chipotle in the Navy Yard neighborhood showed youths throwing punches and chairs as patrons watched in fear.—
Steve Thompson,
Washington Post,
19 May 2026
-
On Saturday, a mob of teens kicked off a brawl at a Chipotle restaurant in the city's Navy Yard neighborhood, throwing chairs, tables and punches.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Eldridge’s solo shot in the fifth inning against right-hander Braxton Ashcraft smacked the top of the right field arcade and caromed into McCovey Cove.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
-
The two have smacked each other around in the weeks since and traded barbs over their places within the company.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thump.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thump. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
