thump

1 of 2

verb

ˈthəmp 

thumped; thumping; thumps

transitive verb

1

: to strike or beat with or as if with something thick or heavy so as to cause a dull sound

2

: pound, knock

3

: whip, thrash

4

: to produce (music) mechanically or in a mechanical manner

—usually used with out

thumped out a tune on the piano

intransitive verb

1

a

: to inflict a thump

b

: to make or move with a thumping sound

2

: to make a vigorous endorsement

got a couple of … senators to thump for him

—The New York Herald Tribune

thumper noun

thump

2 of 2

noun

: a blow or knock with or as if with something blunt or heavy

also : the sound made by such a blow

Synonyms

Verb

• bang
• bash
• bat
• belt
• biff
• bludgeon
• bob
• bonk
• bop
• box
• bust
• clap
• clip
• clobber
• clock
• clout
• crack
• hammer
• hit
• knock
• nail
• paste
• pound
• punch
• rap
• slam
• slap
• slog
• slug
• smack
• smite
• sock
• strike
• swat
• swipe
• tag
• thwack
• wallop
• whack
• whale
• zap

Noun

• bang
• bash
• bat
• beat
• belt
• biff
• blow
• bop
• box
• buffet
• bust
• chop
• clap
• clip
• clout
• crack
• cuff
• dab
• douse [British]
• fillip
• hack
• haymaker
• hit
• hook
• knock
• larrup [dialect]
• lash
• lick
• pelt
• pick
• plump
• poke
• pound
• punch
• rap
• slam
• slap
• slug
• smack
• smash
• sock
• spank
• stinger
• stripe
• stroke
• swat
• swipe
• switch
• thud
• thwack
• wallop
• welt
• whack
• wham
• whop
• whap

Examples of thump in a Sentence

Verb

The boat thumped against the side of the pier.

thumped the desk with his hand as he delivered his speech

Noun

The ball landed with a thump.

gave her boyfriend a thump against the side of his head whenever he said something obnoxious

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The Patriots were 3-3 when the Bears upset them 33-14 in 2022, and the Commanders were 2-2 before the Bears thumped them 40-20 last season in Landover, Md. —Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 23 Oct. 2024

The two pop stars, notorious for their love of club culture, will surely blow out Moda Center's speakers with deep, thumping bass beats and signature Euro-style electro synths. —Meira Gebel, Axios, 2 Oct. 2024

Noun

With a new house-music thump behind them, Fuerza Regida found a new after-hours realm. —August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2024

North American hikers might want to run toward weird thumps on the trail. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1548, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1552, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

thump

verb

ˈthəmp

1

: to strike or beat with something thick or heavy so as to cause a dull sound

2

: to beat heavily : pound

thump noun