thump

American  

[thuhmp] / θʌmp /

noun

• thumps
  plural

1. a blow with something thick and heavy, producing a dull sound; a heavy knock.

2. the sound made by or as if by such a blow.

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verb (used with object)

• thumps,
  present (3rd person singular)
• thumped,
  past participle,  past
• thumping
  present participle

1. to strike or beat with something thick and heavy, so as to produce a dull sound; pound.

2. (of an object) to strike against (something) heavily and noisily.

3. Informal. to thrash severely.

verb (used without object)

• thumps,
  present (3rd person singular)
• thumped,
  past participle,  past
• thumping
  present participle

1. to strike, beat, or fall heavily, with a dull sound.

2. to walk with heavy steps; pound.

3. to palpitate or beat violently, as the heart.

thump British  

/ θʌmp /

noun

1. the sound of a heavy solid body hitting or pounding a comparatively soft surface

2. a heavy blow with the hand

   he gave me a thump on the back

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verb

1. (tr) to strike or beat heavily; pound

2. (intr) to throb, beat, or pound violently

   his heart thumped with excitement

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• thumper
  noun
• unthumped
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• thumps
  plural

Participles

• thumping
  present
• thumped
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• thump
  simple
• thumps
  simple
• have thumped
  perfect
• has thumped
  perfect
• am thumping
  progressive
• are thumping
  progressive
• is thumping
  progressive
• have been thumping
  perfect progressive
• has been thumping
  perfect progressive

Past

• thumped
  simple
• had thumped
  perfect
• was thumping
  progressive
• were thumping
  progressive
• had been thumping
  perfect progressive

Future

• will thump
  simple
• will have thumped
  perfect
• will be thumping
  progressive
• will have been thumping
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of thump

First recorded in 1530–40; imitative

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Explanation

A thump is a hard, thudding sound, or an equally hard hit or blow, like the thump your older brother gives you when you embarrass him in front of his friends. If you drop your backpack full of books it'll make a thump as it hits the floor. And, if your friend starts to choke on his lemonade at lunch, you might want to give him a thump on the back. You can also thump enthusiastically on a drum. Thump is an imitative word, one that mimics the sound of hitting something heavily. It dates from the sixteenth century.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thump thumps thumped thumping

In other words, what the Brewers lack in thump, they make up for by thriving at fundamentals: baserunning, hustle and good old-fashioned situational hitting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The opening game saw Gauff thump a 112mph ace down the middle, followed by an unreturned first serve and another ace, on her way to holding serve in less than 90 seconds.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

During those future flights, researchers will gather public feedback about the aircraft's quieter sonic "thump" and evaluate how people respond to it.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026

Moments later, a bass thump sounded in the distance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026

Natalie drummed her fingers against the wall, ending with a dramatic thump.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Alcaraz turns around and thumps Sinner at the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

As the beat from Azealia Banks’ “212” thumps in the background, she bounces around her tiny New York bedroom, twirling like a chemically enhanced cool girl.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2025

Orbs of yellow light wash over plates of juicy chicken inasal; longtime friends catch up over handpicked wines as music thumps in the background.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2025

Mercy clenches her hands and she thumps the table as she agrees.

From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2023

Harry felt two large thumps as Fred and George hit them; then Angelina’s, Alicia’s, and Katie’s voices, “We’ve won the Cup! We’ve won the Cup!”

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling

It was a magical night in Wisconsin—across Interstate 94 in Madison, the Badgers thumped USC.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

Students cheered as they stacked rubbish bins against the entrance to a school outside Paris, while a speaker thumped out French rap to young people, teachers and parents mingling in the early morning drizzle.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

And Yamal hasn’t found the net since Spain thumped Saudi Arabia 4-0 in its second game.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

That is what happened as England ultimately missed out because they were thumped in Majorca.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026

Barbour thumped his horse fondly on the neck and she inclined her head toward him.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

As exit polls put the Alternative for Germany's vote share at a thumping 44 percent, jubilant scenes erupted at a post-election party in Magdeburg, capital of the state of Saxony-Anhalt.

From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026

However, and as a direct consequence, the Turbo feels instantly familiar—the initial lightness of the open door, and balanced swing on its hinges, the thumping affirmation of triple-seal door closures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

As Don Omar sings, the darbuka drum prominently plays in the song; when Hakim performs, he does so over a thumping dembow beat.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

Big-money signings come with big expectations and the Scottish champions' record-breaking summer recruit put in a statement performance in Saturday's thumping 5-1 win over Kilmarnock.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

I trailed behind the guard as much as I dared, my heart thumping wildly.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

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