thump

1 of 2

verb

thumped; thumping; thumps
Synonyms of thumpnext

transitive verb

1
: to strike or beat with or as if with something thick or heavy so as to cause a dull sound
2
3
4
: to produce (music) mechanically or in a mechanical manner
usually used with out
thumped out a tune on the piano

intransitive verb

1
a
: to inflict a thump
b
: to make or move with a thumping sound
2
: to make a vigorous endorsement
… got a couple of … Senators to thump for him.The New York Herald Tribune
thumper noun

thump

2 of 2

noun

: a blow or knock with or as if with something blunt or heavy
also : the sound made by such a blow

Examples of thump in a Sentence

Verb The boat thumped against the side of the pier. thumped the desk with his hand as he delivered his speech Noun The ball landed with a thump. gave her boyfriend a thump against the side of his head whenever he said something obnoxious
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.
Verb
The result was a 9-1 thumping by the Hurricanes that started the Panthers’ 6-11-0 spiral that dropped them from playoff contention and also triggered Carolina’s 12-game point streak that vaulted the team to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Cory Lavalette, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 The cheering and thumping rolled like thunder when Arizona’s first 3-pointer, a shot by Brayden Burries, went in. Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
Noun
The experimental jet, part of NASA’s Quesst mission, is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound while producing only a soft sonic thump instead of a disruptive boom. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Mar. 2026 At its best, the music’s blackout-drunk thump-thump functions more like an anxious heartbeat. Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thump

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1548, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1542, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thump was in 1542

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Cite this Entry

“Thump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thump. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

thump

verb
ˈthəmp
1
: to strike or beat with something thick or heavy so as to cause a dull sound
2
: to beat heavily : pound
thump noun

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