percussive

1 of 2

adjective

per·​cus·​sive pər-ˈkə-siv 

1

: of or relating to percussion

especially : operative or operated by striking

2

: having powerful impact

percussively adverb

percussiveness noun

percussiveness

2 of 2

noun

per·​cus·​sive·​ness

-sivnə̇s, 

-sēv- also -səv-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being percussive

to his harpsichord style he carries over a pianistic percussiveness

—Saturday Review

Examples of percussive in a Sentence

Adjective

The song had a punchy, percussive rhythm.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As psychedelic rock took over the city in the 1960s, Latino artists blended it with Afro-Cuban beats and percussive sounds more commonly found in jazz and salsa. — Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Timbaland’s production is sparse but deeply percussive, allowing the back-and-forth between him and Nelly Furtado to function almost like another instrument. — Brittney Williams, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026

With a scene-stealing villain (Heath Ledger), a relentlessly percussive score, anxiety-inducing editing, and breathtaking urban cinematography, The Dark Knight remains the most intense comic book movie ever made. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026

Everything else–the percussive jumpscares, the distorted synth stabs, the unintelligible vocal samples–pops in and out at will. — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 31 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1