thundered; thundering
ˈthən-d(ə-)riŋ 
1
a
: to produce thunder
—usually used impersonally
it thundered
b
: to give forth a sound that resembles thunder
horses thundered down the road
Examples of thunder in a Sentence
Noun
Her dog is afraid of thunder.
Lightning flashed and thunder boomed.
Suddenly there was a loud clap of thunder.
We could hear the rumble of thunder in the distance.
the thunder of horses' hooves
the distant thunder of cannon fire
She accepted the award to a thunder of applause.
Verb
The sky thundered and the rain poured down.
It was raining and thundering all night.
Guns thundered in the distance.
Horses thundered down the road.
Trucks thundered past on the highway.
“How dare you come into my house!” he thundered.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2025
The Silver Hugo for Best Sound goes to SOUND OF FALLING for its ability to echo, in both its silences and thunders, the constant hum of secrets passed from one generation to the next in the apparent domestic quiet that both conceals and reveals.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2025
Like one icicle falling from an alpine crag onto an unstable snow cornice below, a small slide rapidly turns into a thundering avalanche.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thunder
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Noun
Wait for 30 minutes after the final lightning or thunder before heading outside again.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2025
The Silver Hugo for Best Sound goes to SOUND OF FALLING for its ability to echo, in both its silences and thunders, the constant hum of secrets passed from one generation to the next in the apparent domestic quiet that both conceals and reveals.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
The property also serves as a basecamp to the wonders of Olympic National Park, with easy access to Sol Duc Falls, where water thunders over mossy rock, and the pristine, glacially carved Lake Crescent.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2025
Like one icicle falling from an alpine crag onto an unstable snow cornice below, a small slide rapidly turns into a thundering avalanche.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thunder
Cite this Entry
“Thunder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thunder. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thunder
1 of 2 noun
thun·der
ˈthən-dər
1
: the loud sound that follows a flash of lightning
2
: a noise like thunder
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