percussive
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
Examples of percussive in a Sentence
The song had a punchy, percussive rhythm.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lopatin used fast, percussive strikes to keep the score melodic, incorporating mallet strikes to mirror the ping-pong balls.
—
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 26 Dec. 2025
The band barelled through seven tracks with Emily Green raging on guitar, Dominic DiGesu cutting deep bass grooves, Max Bassin setting their percussive pass, and Cameron Winter’s vocals carrying them the whole way through.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2025
Salvador Samba, Brazil’s signature percussive genre, was born in the sugarcane mills of Salvador, the heart of Black culture in the country.
—Carolina Abbott Galvão, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
The accordion and percussive instruments like bongos, congas, timbales, cowbells and shakers form reggaeton beats and dancey tempos.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for percussive
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Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 26 Dec. 2025
The band barelled through seven tracks with Emily Green raging on guitar, Dominic DiGesu cutting deep bass grooves, Max Bassin setting their percussive pass, and Cameron Winter’s vocals carrying them the whole way through.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2025
Salvador Samba, Brazil’s signature percussive genre, was born in the sugarcane mills of Salvador, the heart of Black culture in the country.
—Carolina Abbott Galvão, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
The accordion and percussive instruments like bongos, congas, timbales, cowbells and shakers form reggaeton beats and dancey tempos.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for percussive
Cite this Entry
“Percussive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percussive. Accessed 30 Dec. 2025.
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