percussive
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- nonpercussive adjective
- percussively adverb
- percussiveness noun
- unpercussive adjective
Etymology
Origin of percussive
First recorded in 1785–95; percuss(ion) + -ive
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On his own website, Zayn describes konnakol as "the act of creating percussive sounds with one's voice".
From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026
“I think the jazz drumming thing is new to the game,” Lievsay says of the percussive element that grows in prominence as the fights’ stakes increase.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025
The music is urgent and highly percussive with small drums, and Mr. Ross’s vibes create alluring propulsion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 21, 2025
It's the only song that really leans into the showgirl concept, with a percussive tap-dancing interlude and ostentatious key changes, as the stars trade lines about their cut-throat industry.
From BBC • Oct. 3, 2025
The endless percussive symphony makes my brain want to slide out through my ears and run away—and I realize that must be how it happens!
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
