thud

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of thudnext
1
2
: a dull sound : thump

thud

2 of 2

verb

thudded; thudding

intransitive verb

: to move or strike so as to make a thud

Examples of thud in a Sentence

Noun The book hit the floor with a thud. The ball landed with a thud. I heard a heavy thud on the roof. Verb The ball thudded against the side of the house. the snowball thudded against the side of my car
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.
Noun
Muffled thuds are heard, and the crying stops. Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026 Sidney Crosby was silent, Evgeni Malkin’s misplay led to a goal and Erik Karlsson was responsible for two other goals against as the Penguins saw their six-game winning streak end with a thud in a 3-2 setback against the Ottawa Senators on Monday at PPG Paints Arena. Josh Yohe, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
Each must traverse more than a mile-and-a-half of terrain, through a canyon, into shadows and out, over rolls that hurl the body half a football field through the air before thudding it back down again. Barry Svrluga, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2026 Its ghostly guitar melodies float as its basslines thud along, growing both more menacing and dejected as Katz’s depression becomes impossible to outrun. Grace Robins-Somerville, Pitchfork, 23 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thud

Word History

Etymology

Noun

imitative

First Known Use

Noun

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thud was in 1787

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thud. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

thud

1 of 2 verb
thudded; thudding
: to move or strike so as to make a dull sound

thud

2 of 2 noun
1
2
: a dull sound : thump sense 1

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