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
Her new album, La Dame, unites slower and more sentimental shatta ballads with the thumping dancefloor heaters that first drew me to her music. Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 13 Jan. 2026 Saturday’s game was 19 seconds old when Buzelis thumped Naji Marshall’s flimsy transition layup attempt. Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Noun
Jin Shin has come across some monster potholes over the last couple of weeks, including one in Koreatown that rattled his car with a sickening thump and another near the airport where its depth was obscured by water. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026 Twitchy enough to line up off the edge or run with a tight end in the slot, Fisher (6-1, 231) is a bit small but brings enough thump to be the type of linebacker who never has to leave the field. Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 9 Jan. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thump. Accessed 16 Jan. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on thump

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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