percussive

adjective

per·​cus·​sive pər-ˈkə-siv How to pronounce percussive (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The work uses his signature movement language, which creates percussive rhythms through the use of the body, reflecting his experience of chemotherapy and recovery. Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026 During her first bombing, Ginny had run for shelter into a perfume shop, where the proprietress methodically moved each bottle from the streetfront vitrine into a neat line on the floor as the dust from the percussive bombs blotted out the sun. Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026 But others, where relentless, shelter-soaking rain is the aggressor, are no less vivid and terrifying, amplified by the rattling, percussive intensity of extraordinary sound design by Lena Esquenazi, Valeria Mancheva and Antonio Porem. Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026 Sounds from the Linn were shot through the Fairlight and sequenced into percussive melodies. Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for percussive

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of percussive was in 1598

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Cite this Entry

“Percussive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percussive. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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