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.

---

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

---

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

Etymology

Origin of thump

First recorded in 1530–40; imitative

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

The grass particularly often suits tall 'servebots', who are able to thump down aces and unreturnable first shots, but Fery has other tools to hurt his opponents.

From BBC ● Jul. 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

In the 2026 hellscape of sports betting and doom-scrolling, however, it’s the rare wholesome one: It shuns phones, keeps the mind sharp and gives grandma a prime opportunity to thump the young ’uns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

Bruno Fernandes swung his delivery to the far post and Casemiro rose highest to thump a towering header past Bernd Leno.

From Barron's ● Feb. 1, 2026

“How about a pink or ping? A thud or thump? A metallic screech or scrape?”

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

Israeli director Nadav Lapid’s audacious and dazzling “Yes” thumps with dance music and the sound of people bouncing off the walls to distract themselves from pain.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2025

During the 31-song album, some of it lands like the fun drama of "Down Bad," which thumps against Antonoff's synthesizer.

From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2024

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

From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2023

When he sees me, he cries and thumps his tail at the same time, like he’s both happy it’s me and sorry it isn’t Gram.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

Pogacar crossed the line six seconds ahead of France's Lenny Martinez of Bahrain-Victorious, who thumped his handlebars severnal times in frustration as he crossed the line.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

The Angels thumped the Colorado Rockies 11-4, but one good night cannot change the trajectory of a miserable season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026

City produced two of their best performances of the season when they defeated Arsenal 2-0 at Wembley and thumped Liverpool 4-0 in the FA Cup at the weekend.

From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2026

Substitute Rennes striker Breel Embolo thumped in the third, decisive Rennes goal with nine minutes left to secure a famous win and lift them to fifth in the table.

From Barron's ● Feb. 13, 2026

Ophie’s heart thumped painfully in her chest, once, and then again.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

It’s a world of classical pianists and opera singers rather than thumping bass, Gothic palaces over private islands in the Bahamas and fine Barolo instead of sugary margaritas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Its 2020 debut album, “PDE,” experimented more with the prickly, sad sierreño sound popularized by acts like Eslabon Armado and DannyLux — as well as trap-infused corridos tumbados with a thumping tololoche.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

The steady pulsing of milking machines mingled with a thumping musical beat as McAfee marched down the rows, pointing to their light pink udders.

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

The management were backed after the Ashes thumping, but the demand was to turn things around quickly.

From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026

There are screeching sounds and thumping sounds, and then my dark box heaves itself up and I am thrown into the walls.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Related Words

• thud