bass drum

noun

Definition of bass drum

: a large drum having two heads and giving a booming sound of low indefinite pitch — see drum illustration

Examples of bass drum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That Super Bowl commercial with the overdramatic chorus punctuated by massive thwacks on the bass drum? — Weston Williams, The Christian Science Monitor, "'Verdi' takes a lively approach to uncovering the man behind the art," 4 July 2018 But instead of a pounding bass drum, the album begins with an audio clip from a 1983 Hong Kong martial arts film. — Andrew Chow, refinery29.com, "Let's Be Real: Asian And Black Artists Aren't "Celebrating" Each Other Through Hip-Hop," 22 May 2018 The overhead camera gradually zooms in as Mendes sings; when the bass drum fully kicks in, rocks fall in slow motion from above, shattering and then disappearing on impact. — Abby Jones, Billboard, "Shawn Mendes Keeps it Simple in One-Take 'In My Blood' Music Video: Watch," 24 Apr. 2018 Over the space of 12 minutes, Chen creates a gently rhapsodic tapestry atop the cushiony sounds of a bass flute and bass drum; spare, tinkly notes gradually coalesce into a series of oscillating harmonies. — Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, "Contemporary Players celebrate community in the spirit of Oliveros," 24 Mar. 2018 Lake Chabot is 93 percent full, temperatures are forecast to rise into the 70s as spring takes hold for boating, fishing, hiking and biking On a spring day, your first glimpse of the East Bay’s Lake Chabot can make your heart beat like a bass drum. — Tom Stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle, "Lake Chabot’s magic coronation of spring," 29 Mar. 2018 Instruction is provided for fife, snare and bass drum as well as marching. — Courant Community, "Community News For The Wethersfield Edition," 27 Mar. 2018 Instruction is provided for fife, snare and bass drum as well as marching. — Courant Community, "Community News For The Wethersfield Edition," 13 Mar. 2018 Even the guy who played the big bass drum had to dance. — Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Washington Post, "From Grambling State to Lady Gaga: The Super Bowl halftime show’s humble history," 3 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bass drum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of bass drum was in 1798

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