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
The percussive score by Joseph Shirley and Moses Sumney underlines this, and gives the whole film an eerie, curious atmosphere, lending to a sense of nightmarish unreality.
—
Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 15 May 2026
As his tone grows more drawn-out and guttural, and Thomas’ lyrical touch gives way to percussive attack, the rhythm section ups the ante, picking up speed like a gathering tornado.
—Levi Dayan, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026
Walking into the Broadhust Theatre, the first sound that hits you is the percussive clacking of the hand fans.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
There’s a real industrial approach to the sound — hard, percussive rhythms beneath the plush interior of melody, and lyrics that are just about the most fun a listener can have pretending he, too, is this glamorously besotted or gloriously bereft.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
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Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 15 May 2026
As his tone grows more drawn-out and guttural, and Thomas’ lyrical touch gives way to percussive attack, the rhythm section ups the ante, picking up speed like a gathering tornado.
—Levi Dayan, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026
Walking into the Broadhust Theatre, the first sound that hits you is the percussive clacking of the hand fans.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
There’s a real industrial approach to the sound — hard, percussive rhythms beneath the plush interior of melody, and lyrics that are just about the most fun a listener can have pretending he, too, is this glamorously besotted or gloriously bereft.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for percussive
Cite this Entry
“Percussive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percussive. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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