thunderbolt
noun
thun·der·bolt
ˈthən-dər-ˌbōlt 
1
a
: a single discharge of lightning with the accompanying thunder
b
: an imaginary elongated mass cast as a missile to earth in the lightning flash
2
a
: a person or thing that resembles lightning in suddenness, effectiveness, or destructive power
b
: a vehement threat or censure
Examples of thunderbolt in a Sentence
He was struck dead by a thunderbolt.
Recent Examples on the Web
While Hanuman is flying up to the sun, Indra, the king of the gods, strikes him with a thunderbolt, breaking his jaw and sending him hurtling to the ground.
—
Aaron Boorstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
The slices of raw eggplant, cabbage and green beans presented with the dip help mellow, only slightly, the rank thunderbolt that hits your tongue.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Zeus sends thunderbolts to kill the crew and break the ship.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2024
That means playing as Greek gods, fighting across Mount Olympus, and wielding Zeus’ thunderbolt.
—Andrew Webster, The Verge, 8 Mar. 2024
The Republican governor’s unexpected clemency for Reid arrived like a thunderbolt on Friday.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2024
Will tonight be a total misfire, a thunderbolt of controversy, or merely mediocre?
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2024
There’s a lot more to this saga than a missing thunderbolt.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 15 Dec. 2023
The Fall of the Titans depicts a crucial moment from the tale told by the Latin poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses in which the god Jupiter throws his thunderbolts to destroy the titans, causing buildings to crumble and leaving desperate titans in despair.
—Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2024
Aaron Boorstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
The slices of raw eggplant, cabbage and green beans presented with the dip help mellow, only slightly, the rank thunderbolt that hits your tongue.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Zeus sends thunderbolts to kill the crew and break the ship.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2024
That means playing as Greek gods, fighting across Mount Olympus, and wielding Zeus’ thunderbolt.
—Andrew Webster, The Verge, 8 Mar. 2024
The Republican governor’s unexpected clemency for Reid arrived like a thunderbolt on Friday.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2024
Will tonight be a total misfire, a thunderbolt of controversy, or merely mediocre?
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2024
There’s a lot more to this saga than a missing thunderbolt.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 15 Dec. 2023
The Fall of the Titans depicts a crucial moment from the tale told by the Latin poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses in which the god Jupiter throws his thunderbolts to destroy the titans, causing buildings to crumble and leaving desperate titans in despair.
—Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thunderbolt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Thunderbolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thunderbolt. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thunderbolt
noun
thun·der·bolt
ˈthən-dər-ˌbōlt
: a flash of lightning and the thunder that follows it
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