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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thunderstrike
  1. surprise
  2. amaze
  3. shock
  4. stun
  5. startle
  6. astonish
Verb
  • What surprised him the most was the musical transformation of his repertoire.
    — Franchesca Guim, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026
  • When Detroit Tigers star Justin Verlander's daughter Genevieve surprised him on the field of his last professional baseball game over the weekend, Verlander was visibly emotional in a moment that quickly went viral.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of surprise
Verb
  • What amazes me is there seems to be a wide swath of Michiganders who don’t seem to mind being lied to.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
  • And especially with the stock market—I’m amazed the stock market still hasn’t really taken the hit.
    — Victoria Feng, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of amaze
Verb
  • Its closure was abrupt and shocked several fans who posted on social media.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
  • During the 1990s, mafia-style killings of public figures were a common occurrence in Bulgaria, but the latest outburst of violence has shocked the country, amid a heated campaign for presidential elections next month.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of shock
Verb
  • But after circling a few times, the shark spat out the bait, leaving fishermen on the pier stunned.
    — Jasmine Mendez Follow, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • At a small celebration dinner in San Francisco after the deal closed, Basu Trivedi was stunned by their choice of lodging.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of stun
Verb
  • To build a stealthy ocean-monitoring platform for the Office of Naval Research, Professor Shepherd needed a propulsion system that would not startle marine life.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
  • As if triggered by this thought, the door buzzed itself open, startling the pigeons from wire to wing, a grand scattering.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of startle
Verb
  • Switzerland’s iconic glaciers lost an enormous amount of ice in 2026, a new report shows, signaling an ongoing rapid meltdown driven by climate change that has astonished even scientists studying it.
    — Erin Douglas, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The astonished looks on his team-mates’ faces would underline that fact.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 14 Sep. 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
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Cite this Entry

“Thunderstrike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thunderstrike. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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