as in extremely
to a great degree
wrote several thumping big books on World War II
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pounding
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in slapping
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 licking
to strike repeatedly
playfully knocked his younger brother down and began to thump him with a foam bat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thumping
Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Through this lens, Slater’s downfall at DOJ is less an ideological thumping than a mundane drama of personality and personnel fights.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 14 Feb. 2026
Then the dam broke didn't celebrate after their thumping of Canada ended their preliminary round undefeated.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
Six different players scored in a 7-0 thumping of a surging Needham group — with three goals coming from the third line.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
My nights were filled with the thumping of someone else’s dirty clothes and the feeling of something skittering across my leg.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
With a merciless 56-22 thumping of Oregon in the Peach Bowl, the Hoosiers punched their ticket to their first national championship game appearance in program history.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
Florida went on an 11-point run in the first half, just for UConn to end the half on a 28-14 thumping.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 10 Dec. 2025
The Bulldogs have shut them out six times during that streak, including last year’s 43-0 thumping.
—Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Mar. 2026
The result was a 9-1 thumping by the Hurricanes that started the Panthers’ 6-11-0 spiral that dropped them from playoff contention and also triggered Carolina’s 12-game point streak that vaulted the team to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
—Cory Lavalette, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
The cheering and thumping rolled like thunder when Arizona’s first 3-pointer, a shot by Brayden Burries, went in.
—Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
In stark contrast to thumping beach towns near Cancún and the transporting desert landscape of Los Cabos, Mandarina has no single orienting principle.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2026
Evelyn Shores scored in the 53rd minute, thumping home a header from Fuller on a corner kick.
—Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 16 Mar. 2026
There are some of the director’s characteristic flourishes along the way, and the tone is set early; thumping Kasabian track ‘Days Are Forgotten’ plays in the opening credits, leading into a prison-yard fight moments into the first episode.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Saturday's thumping by UCLA, in which the Bruins led 4-0 after the first inning and 6-1 after the second, was a bit alarming.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 2 Mar. 2026
Babyfxce’s previous album was more like a smorgasbord, doling out dirty talk over thumping twerk-drill and groovy funk beats.
—Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
His preferred genre was hardstyle—frantic thumping remixes of pop songs by the likes of Katy Perry and Taylor Swift.
—Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Through this lens, Slater’s downfall at DOJ is less an ideological thumping than a mundane drama of personality and personnel fights.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 14 Feb. 2026
Then the dam broke didn't celebrate after their thumping of Canada ended their preliminary round undefeated.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
Six different players scored in a 7-0 thumping of a surging Needham group — with three goals coming from the third line.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
My nights were filled with the thumping of someone else’s dirty clothes and the feeling of something skittering across my leg.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
With a merciless 56-22 thumping of Oregon in the Peach Bowl, the Hoosiers punched their ticket to their first national championship game appearance in program history.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
Florida went on an 11-point run in the first half, just for UConn to end the half on a 28-14 thumping.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 10 Dec. 2025
The Bulldogs have shut them out six times during that streak, including last year’s 43-0 thumping.
—Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
These headphones are Hi-Res certified, with highly flexible silk diaphragms that extend up to 40kHz for exceptional treble clarity and thumping bass.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Mar. 2026
The result was a 9-1 thumping by the Hurricanes that started the Panthers’ 6-11-0 spiral that dropped them from playoff contention and also triggered Carolina’s 12-game point streak that vaulted the team to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
—Cory Lavalette, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
The cheering and thumping rolled like thunder when Arizona’s first 3-pointer, a shot by Brayden Burries, went in.
—Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
In stark contrast to thumping beach towns near Cancún and the transporting desert landscape of Los Cabos, Mandarina has no single orienting principle.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2026
Evelyn Shores scored in the 53rd minute, thumping home a header from Fuller on a corner kick.
—Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 16 Mar. 2026
There are some of the director’s characteristic flourishes along the way, and the tone is set early; thumping Kasabian track ‘Days Are Forgotten’ plays in the opening credits, leading into a prison-yard fight moments into the first episode.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Saturday's thumping by UCLA, in which the Bruins led 4-0 after the first inning and 6-1 after the second, was a bit alarming.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 2 Mar. 2026
Babyfxce’s previous album was more like a smorgasbord, doling out dirty talk over thumping twerk-drill and groovy funk beats.
—Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thumping
Adverb
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That can be attributed to the fact that Rolex models were already highly valued in 2018 and were also in extremely high demand during the pandemic.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Almost all natural bodies of water bear fish life, with the exception of very hot thermal ponds and extremely salt-alkaline lakes, such as the Dead Sea in Asia and the Great Salt Lake in North America.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
However, while chemically the same, beach sand is made up of tiny crystals of quartz that have been pulverized by geological weathering and the pounding of ocean waves.—
John Ballato,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
-
All around the Tivoli quarries, the air is heavy with the stench of sulfur and the constant pounding, clinking and cracking of giant jackhammers blasting ancient rock into pieces.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Airlines across the region, like Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific are slapping hefty fuel surcharges on flights; Vietnam and the Philippines are even weighing whether to ground planes.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
But every so often there comes a day that is so different—so unusual—so spectacular that its happening can only be chalked up to old-fashioned, knee-slapping good luck.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The department shared photos of Ziggy, still wearing a bandage on his left hind leg, jumping up and licking Spring's face during a recent visit.—
Neal Riley,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Seals off The San Diego Seals (6-8) are off this weekend and licking their wounds following a crushing 9-8 home loss to Buffalo on Saturday.—
Ivan Carter,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
There are double lotteries and protections that would put a safety net beneath the very worst teams.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
For activities lasting longer than 1-2 hours, or in very hot environments, sports drinks can help replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes, but be mindful of sugar content.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But because this is a derby, we’re supposed to believe this latest thrashing is a statement.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Carrington, who converted a program-record nine 3-pointers in a 90-73 thrashing at Washington on Saturday, was 4 of 8 behind the arc, and sophomore power forward Austin Rapp as 3 of 6.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In Los Angeles, Jonathon Redondo-Rosales was charged with assault for smacking an agent with a hat after a car struck him.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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But a leadoff walk in the top of the 9th allowed Eugenio Suárez to knock in what would prove to be the winning run, smacking a double to left center field and scoring pinch runner Javier Sonoja.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The president of a labor union representing Transportation Security Administration employees is lashing out at lawmakers, telling them not to leave Washington, DC, for Easter recess before passing a deal to pay its agents amid the ongoing partial government shutdown.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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How this showdown plays out will affect not only Anthropic’s booming business but also the way tech titans and other corporations work with an administration known for lashing out at resisters, said Alan Rozenshtein, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Law School.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumping. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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