thundering

American

[thuhn-der-ing] / ˈθʌn dər ɪŋ /

adjective

of, relating to, or accompanied by thunder.
producing a noise or effect like thunder.
very great; extraordinary.

a thundering amount of work.

noun

thunder.

thundering British

/ ˈθʌndərɪŋ /

adjective

slang (prenominal) very great or excessive

a thundering idiot

"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

Etymology

Origin of thundering

before 1100; Middle English thundring, Old English thunring thunder. See thunder, -ing ², -ing ¹

Explanation

Thundering describes a sound that is deep and resounding—or resembling thunder. The thundering sound of feet hurrying down the hall is one sign that school's over for the day. The sound of a thunderstorm can be described as thundering of course, but so can other loud, booming noises. You might love the thundering sound of a rock concert but hate the thundering voice of an angry parent scolding a child. This adjective comes from the verb thunder, which we can trace back to a root that means "resound."

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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.

See Examples For:

thundering

Months after her hip-replacement surgery, the pair set out for Iceland’s little-visited Westfjords—putting both travelers to the test against winding roads, thundering waterfalls and uneven hiking trails.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

When we reached the top, the mighty falls thundering above us, triumph flickered across her face.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

And I heard about it, in thundering waves of sarcasm and snark, from old fashioned emails to online comments, a tsunami of taunts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026