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 The future of work was never going to announce itself with a thunderclap. — Aj Thomas, Forbes.com, 7 July 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 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 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
  • Nick, 33, started with a moment from the first Camp Rock, recalling the morning the cast came up with the now-famous stomp-and-clap sequence.
    — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The Golf Channel would always be playing in the background; the soft claps were the soundtrack to our slow Saturdays.
    — Ivy Odom, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of clap
Noun
  • Pilots received a warning about the engine and then heard a loud bang, the report said.
    — Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Even something as seemingly minor as changing your part or adding bangs can make a noticeable difference.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bang
Noun
  • Their hiring boom has drawn a new wave of tech workers to San Francisco and its commuter suburbs and sent them into an already tight housing market.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Whenever there is a technological breakthrough like AI, or the internet and telecom boom of the 1990s, there is massive speculation.
    — Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of boom
Noun
  • During a news conference on Tuesday afternoon, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz confirmed that two employees of Brent Industries, who worked in the building, were killed in the blast.
    — Ahmad Hemingway, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Also, three people were killed and three others were wounded over the last day in Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Sumy region, including drone strikes and an explosive device blast, Ukraine’s National Police said.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of blast
Noun
  • Kio takes in his new surroundings confidently, strutting through the grasses near his den while working on his roar, that is, until a bellowing elephant sends him racing closer to Mom.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Before the researchers could start sampling it, though, a deafening roar suddenly filled the tunnel.
    — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of roar
Noun
  • The San Jose Poetry Festival opens Sunday night with a poetry slam event featuring Richmond poet Reggie Edmonds-Vásquez at Wheelhouse of Willow Glen, 1173 Lincoln Ave.
    — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Just ask Wisconsin’s neighbor Michigan, which last week saw what seemed like a slam-dunk Democratic contest for Senate turn into a squeaker.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of slam
Noun
  • Four South Floridians have been killed in a helicopter crash in Kenya during a safari trip.
    — Chelsea Jones, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police, Bivens said.
    — Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 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 21 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on thunderclap

Nglish: Translation of thunderclap for Spanish Speakers

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