thud

[ thuhd ]

noun

1. a dull sound, as of a heavy blow or fall.
2. a blow causing such a sound.

verb (used without object)

, thud·ded, thud·ding.

1. to strike or fall with a dull sound of heavy impact.

thud

/ θʌd /

noun

1. a dull heavy sound

   the book fell to the ground with a thud

2. a blow or fall that causes such a sound

verb

1. to make or cause to make such a sound

Other Words From

• thudding·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of thud¹

1505–15; imitative; compare Middle English thudden, Old English thyddan to strike, press

Word History and Origins

Origin of thud¹

Old English thyddan to strike; related to thoddettan to beat, perhaps of imitative origin

Example Sentences

They even included the thud and rocking that they’ll experience after they hit the ocean following reentry.

From Time

As I was about to search for some, three logs fell on the ground next to me with a thud, as if gifted from the gods.

From Outside Online

Every thud against my body solidified my desire to leave this world.

From Ozy

Though a handful of Democratic lawmakers did introduce legislation that would add four seats to the Supreme Court and give Democratic appointees a 7-6 majority, the bill landed with a thud in Congress.

From Vox

Bekele fainted next, landing with a thud on the garage’s concrete floor as the car continued to run.

From ProPublica

For every nanosecond that I miraculously lift off the ground, I land with an inordinately loud thud.

From The Daily Beast

The guns raised in unison, the sighting of the game, the rounds of shots, the thud as a prey is felled, and then the silence.

From The Daily Beast

The most recent, a great big, messy love letter, is about to land with a dull thud in your neighborhood bookstore.

From The Daily Beast

Obviously, if it were just Democrats, the Republicans would have had the votes to pass the THUD bill.

From The Daily Beast

You could hear the clicking in the back and when you opened it, it had a thud to it.

From The Daily Beast

There was a distant, dull boom in the air—a repeated heavy thud.

From Project Gutenberg

In this way he can reach up to the tops of the tallest trees and cut off the cocoanuts; when thud!

From Project Gutenberg

Then a sudden sound sent him on to one elbow—the thud of an approaching horse's hoofs.

From Project Gutenberg

Heavy steps rang on the bridge over his head, and the thud of their fall was like thunder to the man beneath.

From Project Gutenberg

The dull thud of a footfall in the cell above hammers on my head with maddening regularity.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bang
• thump