thud

1 of 2

noun

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
The powerful primate makes contact with the glass wall with a heavy thud, which leaves the group near the wall gasping and yelping in fear. Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025 Timpani, bass drums, and piano follow with a concussive thud. Alex Ross, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
Here’s where the treadmill picks up and our steps start thudding on the track. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 The lyrical register of pop music demands imagery that’s direct and broadly relatable, the kind of message that can be easily understood over a thudding bass line. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025 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 Oct. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on thud

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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