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
  • Sabrina Carpenter stunned in a pantsless look at the 2026 MTV VMAs on September 27.
    — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 28 Sep. 2026
  • André Luiz and Calvin Harris scored first-half goals to back the first career clean sheet from Stefan Cleveland and Sporting Kansas City stunned the Houston Dynamo 2-0 on Saturday night.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of stun
Verb
  • 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
  • Their approach startled the predator, who took off with the mother godwit in its claws.
    — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 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 2 Oct. 2026.

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