thunderstrike

verb

ˈthən-dər-ˌstrīk How to pronounce thunderstrike (audio)
Definition of thunderstrikenext
as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected everyone was thunderstruck when she quit her job without warning

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thunderstrike
  1. surprise
  2. amaze
  3. shock
  4. stun
  5. startle
  6. astonish
Verb
  • Her care team, however, surprised her by bringing the concert experience to her hospital room.
    — Lauren Pastrana, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Jonathan Adler, a law professor at the College of William & Mary who has written on Roberts’s views on standing, told me he was surprised by Roberts’s vote.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of surprise
Verb
  • But of the many falsehoods told by them, there was one which quite amazed me.
    — Agnes Callard, The New York Review of Books, 18 Aug. 2026
  • His greatness is never in question, but to have the league at a standstill because of a 41-year-old free agent amazes me.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of amaze
Verb
  • Otherwise, considering the Seahawks had only three safeties on their initial 53-man roster, I wouldn’t be shocked if a cornerback entered the lineup.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • When it was released in 2016, Hero shocked the country music establishment in more ways than one.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of shock
Verb
  • The two competitors crashed through the table, leaving the fans stunned.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Locals gathering at the site of Pretti’s murder were stunned and furious.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of stun
Verb
  • Her characters appears to startle Jeanie in one photo, clad in a chic black and gold ensemble.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The unpredictable motion scares them off, startling them and throwing them off balance.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of startle
Verb
  • The heated rhetoric has infuriated and astonished most Canadians; in a recent poll, seventy-six per cent supported the decision of the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, to walk away from trade talks with Washington.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Booming demand Anthropic’s growth has been astonishing even by Silicon Valley standards.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of astonish
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.

Browse Nearby Words

thunderstorms
thunderstrike
thunderstrikes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thunderstrike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thunderstrike. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gist

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All