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

Millions of gallons of water cascading over the falls every second, filling the air with a thunderous roar, a dazzling white curtain sending plumes of billowing mist that can be seen for miles around. —Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026

Kinney told The Star that his favorite memory with Stokes is when Kinney threw a lob to Stokes that ended in a thunderous dunk. —Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2026

So when Hernández arrived with the Oklahoma City Comets to continue his rehab assignment on Tuesday, the opposing fans greeted him with a thunderous ovation. —Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026

Alex Caruso completed that surge with a thunderous dunk and the lead grew to 27 points before the game was over. —Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 10 May 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