thunderclap

[thuhn-der-klap]

noun

1. a crash of thunder.

2. something resembling a thunderclap, as in loudness or unexpectedness.

thunderclap

/ ˈθʌndəˌklæp /

noun

1. a loud outburst of thunder

2. something as violent or unexpected as a clap of thunder

Word History and Origins

Origin of thunderclap¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, thunderclap is from Middle English thonder clappe. See thunder, clap ¹

Example Sentences

In junior high, reading a story in Life magazine about the routine day of a Midwestern doctor “was like hearing a thunderclap.”

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He remains a thunderclap from the baseline, but has options other than ferocious groundstrokes.

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His chapters end with a wink as often as a thunderclap.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The sound, often described as an explosion or thunderclap, can be heard over a large area because it moves with the plane, similar to the wake of a boat spreading out behind a vessel.

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We thought there would be a reaction but nobody could have foreseen this absolute thunderclap.

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Related Words

• blast 
• clash