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

Zeller sets this up ably by incorporating the sledgehammer blows of the builder hired by Toby into percussive passages of Volker Bertelmann’s ominous score. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Since the student arrived, Fastabend has been working on incorporating percussive hand movements that replicate the tap sensation to some degree. — Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Not much helping is Tom Hodge’s score, the percussive thrust of which sounds mostly driven by bongoes. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026

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

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1