thunderbolt

noun

thun·der·bolt ˈthən-dər-ˌbōlt

: a single discharge of lightning with the accompanying thunder

: an imaginary elongated mass cast as a missile to earth in the lightning flash

: a person or thing that resembles lightning in suddenness, effectiveness, or destructive power

: a vehement threat or censure

Examples of thunderbolt in a Sentence

He was struck dead by a thunderbolt.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

There seemed to be no way that Lamar could both win over the masses yearning for spectacle and his diehards hoping for a thunderbolt of Pulitzer-level genius. —

Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 10 Feb. 2025 This idea of keeping memories from flowing outward to nowhere strikes him like a thunderbolt and sets him on a quest to slow down his grandparents’ mental decline — and perhaps address his own brain clutter. —

Lisa Kennedy, The Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2025 Well, lightning may not strike twice, but thunderbolts do. —

Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2025 Watch on Deadline The thunderbolt moment lit a fire in Peters, who channeled his anger over Jay’s findings into a career in journalism. —

Jake Kanter, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for thunderbolt