thump

American  

[thuhmp] / θʌmp /

noun

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)

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)

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

• thumper noun
• unthumped adjective

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

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

Picked out by Antoine Semenyo, Haaland lofted a superb cross into the Newcastle area and O'Reilly timed his run perfectly to thump a downwards header past Pope from close range.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

That same thump carried me back to Eixample and Batea, a sleek bistro where Catalan and Galician food dance until closing time.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2025

On the floor, a 44-year-old man was defying the thump of a heavy landing to bounce back up.

From BBC • Aug. 20, 2025

“Oh, come in, come in,” he said, bringing the front legs of the wooden chair down with a thump.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Related Words

• thud