thunderclap

noun

ˈthən-dər-ˌklap How to pronounce thunderclap (audio)
Definition of thunderclapnext
as in clap
a loud explosive sound awakened by the thunderclap of a large branch falling on the roof

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of thunderclap And when thunderclaps rattled their chests, the Chinese felt a deity punishing wrongdoers. — Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2026 Enhanced by Aidan Cole’s thunderclaps, along with music underscoring key monologues, the sound design helps bring everything together. — Amy Reyes, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026 The origin of the thunderclap (sometimes called the Viking clap) is disputed, with several clubs in Europe claiming to have started the trend, but Iceland popularised it and brought it to the world stage. — Elias Burke, New York Times, 23 June 2026 For all the thunderclap significance of 1848, Seneca Falls is a monument to women’s patience and frustration, and to the friendships that were needed to sustain their movement through the decades ahead. — Beverly Gage, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thunderclap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thunderclap
  1. clap
  2. bang
  3. boom
  4. blast
  5. roar
  6. slam
  7. crash
Noun
  • The origin of the thunderclap (sometimes called the Viking clap) is disputed, with several clubs in Europe claiming to have started the trend, but Iceland popularised it and brought it to the world stage.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 23 June 2026
  • One of the moments in the musical that caused the most laughter and claps from the audience was the final song, which mocks the idea of using violence as a form of protest rather than joining a movement or focusing on policy.
    — Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2026
Definition of clap
Noun
  • The long, curly ends she was once revered for were now chopped to her chin, while her bangs mingled over her brows.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 2 July 2026
  • Plus, most of the items can be worn from season to season (talk about getting a good bang for your buck).
    — Olivia Dubyak, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026
Definition of bang
Noun
  • The offering will be a crucial test of investors’ desire to keep funding the AI boom.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 6 July 2026
  • For an artist with a legacy as impactful as Jay-Z’s, the current anniversary boom feel like the latest phase of a longer project of deciding who gets to turn hip-hop history into intellectual property.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2026
Definition of boom
Noun
  • His blast, which sailed just inside the right field foul pole, was the difference as the Padres beat the Diamondbacks 4-1 at Petco Park.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
  • Consulting a design on a computer screen, the workers arranged the numbered pieces — from 14 inches to 12 feet long — into a grid on an oversize worktable and attached them with rapid nail gun blasts.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of blast
Noun
  • Military flyovers added to the atmosphere, with the roar of aircraft overhead loud enough to make seats visibly vibrate.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • But with altitude and the roar of support from their fans, 2026 may become a new marker in their story.
    — Alex Connor, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of roar
Noun
  • With one acrobatic slam after another, Yaxel Lendeborg cut through the sleepy atmosphere blanketing the pregame layup lines, injecting some energy into a crowd that was waiting to watch the team’s first summer league game at Chase Center on Friday.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
  • By the time Joint played her first Grand Slam main-draw match, in 2024, Williams had won twenty-three slams, and had been off the tour for a year and a half.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 1 July 2026
Definition of slam
Noun
  • According to Rahmani, the lawyer who represented the three women after their car crash, Villafranca and Diaz were romantically involved.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the possible crash.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
Definition of crash

Browse Nearby Words

thunder
thunderclap
thunderclaps
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Cite this Entry

“Thunderclap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thunderclap. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on thunderclap

Nglish: Translation of thunderclap for Spanish Speakers

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