thump
Americannoun
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a blow with something thick and heavy, producing a dull sound; a heavy knock.
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the sound made by or as if by such a blow.
verb (used with object)
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to strike or beat with something thick and heavy, so as to produce a dull sound; pound.
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(of an object) to strike against (something) heavily and noisily.
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Informal. to thrash severely.
verb (used without object)
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to strike, beat, or fall heavily, with a dull sound.
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to walk with heavy steps; pound.
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to palpitate or beat violently, as the heart.
noun
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the sound of a heavy solid body hitting or pounding a comparatively soft surface
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a heavy blow with the hand
he gave me a thump on the back
verb
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(tr) to strike or beat heavily; pound
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(intr) to throb, beat, or pound violently
his heart thumped with excitement
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has thumpedperfect 3rd person singular
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have thumpedperfect
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am thumpingprogressive 1st person singular
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has been thumpingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is thumpingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been thumpingperfect progressive
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are thumpingprogressive
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thumpingparticiple
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thumpssingular 3rd person
Past
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had thumpedperfect
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had been thumpingperfect progressive
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was thumpingprogressive singular
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thumpedparticiple
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thumpedsimple
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were thumpingprogressive plural
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing thump
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 5
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Shiloh
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Neighborhood Odes
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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.
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
Rangers' incredible fightback from two goals down to thump Falkirk 6-3 has put the spotlight even more on the possibility of Scotland's thrilling three-team title race being decided on goal difference.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
Inside a dim New Orleans-style bar in Hollywood, dozens of strangers mingle under the thump of pop music while nursing complimentary cocktails.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025
Beaten at home by PSG last time out, Barcelona bounced back to thump Olympiacos 6-1 at Montjuic as Fermin Lopez starred with a hat-trick.
From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025
I sit down with a thump and open it.
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
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.
