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Synonyms

thud

American  
[thuhd] / θʌd /

noun

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

  2. a blow causing such a sound.

verb (used without object)

thudded, thudding

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

thud British  
/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to make or cause to make such a sound

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • thuddingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of thud

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

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.

She never even got to clunk and thud her way through any farmhouses or laboratories like a bewigged bull in a china shop.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

"We heard a bit of a thud and felt a tremor, and we saw a number of people moving quickly out of the shopping centre," he told the BBC.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

Two giants stare each other down before colliding with a dull thud.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

Disney parks are full of attractions that opened late, went over budget, or needed costly overhauls after debuting with a thud.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026

He had to stand still to avoid accidentally kicking any of the playground balls and having them thud against the door or wall.

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

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.