thunderous

adjective

thun·​der·​ous ˈthən-d(ə-)rəs 

1

a

: producing thunder

b

: making or accompanied by a noise like thunder

thunderous applause

2

: thundering

thunderously adverb

Synonyms of thunderous

• loud
• deafening
• roaring
• ringing
• thundering

Examples of thunderous in a Sentence

The audience responded with thunderous applause.

the last thunderous chord of the symphony rang throughout the hall

Recent Examples on the Web

Wilson had a pair of thunderous slams as well as converting a three-point play, pushing North Carolina to a 52-37 lead at the break. —Arkansas Online, 1 Feb. 2026

Off a steal and pass from Williams, Summers threw down a thunderous dunk and was fouled. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026

As Coretta stepped away from the podium to thunderous applause, Bayard Rustin embraced her. —Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026

The F-15s will now be used to support research flights of NASA's new X-59 'quiet' supersonic jet, an aircraft designed to fly at supersonic speeds without producing the thunderous sonic booms typically associated with breaking the sound barrier. —Julian Dossett, Space.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

thunderous

adjective

thun·​der·​ous ˈthən-d(ə-)rəs 

1

: producing thunder

2

: making a noise like thunder

thunderous applause

thunderously adverb