thunder
Americannoun
-
a loud, explosive, resounding noise produced by the explosive expansion of air heated by a lightning discharge.
-
any loud, resounding noise.
the thunder of applause.
-
a threatening or startling utterance, denunciation, or the like.
verb (used without object)
-
thunders,
present (3rd person singular)
-
thundered,
past participle, past
-
thundering
present participle
-
to give forth thunder (often used impersonally with it as the subject).
It thundered last night.
-
to make a loud, resounding noise like thunder.
The artillery thundered in the hills.
-
to utter loud or vehement denunciations, threats, or the like.
-
to speak in a very loud tone.
-
to move or go with a loud noise or violent action.
The train thundered through the village.
verb (used with object)
-
thunders,
present (3rd person singular)
-
thundered,
past participle, past
-
thundering
present participle
idioms
noun
-
a loud cracking or deep rumbling noise caused by the rapid expansion of atmospheric gases which are suddenly heated by lightning
-
any loud booming sound
-
rare a violent threat or denunciation
-
to detract from the attention due to another by forestalling him or her
verb
-
to make (a loud sound) or utter (words) in a manner suggesting thunder
-
(intr; with it as subject) to be the case that thunder is being heard
-
(intr) to move fast and heavily
the bus thundered downhill
-
(intr) to utter vehement threats or denunciation; rail
-
The explosive noise that accompanies a stroke of lightning. Thunder is a series of sound waves produced by the rapid expansion of the air through which the lightning passes. Sound travels about 1 km in 3 seconds (about 1 mi in 5 seconds). The distance between an observer and a lightning flash can be calculated by counting the number of seconds between the flash and the thunder.
-
See Note at lightning
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
thundersimple
-
thunderssimple
-
have thunderedperfect
-
has thunderedperfect
-
am thunderingprogressive
-
are thunderingprogressive
-
is thunderingprogressive
-
have been thunderingperfect progressive
-
has been thunderingperfect progressive
Past
-
thunderedsimple
-
had thunderedperfect
-
was thunderingprogressive
-
were thunderingprogressive
-
had been thunderingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of thunder
before 900; (noun) Middle English thonder, thunder, Old English thunor; cognate with Dutch donder, German Donner; Old Norse thōrr Thor, literally, thunder; (v.) Middle English thondren, Old English thunrian, derivative of the v.; akin to Latin tonāre to thunder
Explanation
Thunder is the loud noise that comes right after lightning. It also can refer to a loud, booming sound, or mean to move heavily but quickly. Thunder is made up of the rumbles and cracks accompanying lightning during a thunderstorm. You can also use this word for other loud noises, like the thunder of a loud rock band or your uncle's booming voice. A powerful singer can be said to thunder, singing in a way that's as noisy and impressive as a thunderstorm. Thunder can also be used for big, fast movements, like a tank thundering across a field or a truck thundering down the highway.
Vocabulary lists containing thunder
Physical Geography - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Physical Geography - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Physical Geography - High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Micron Technology may be about to steal Nvidia’s thunder and underscore its increasing relevance to the broader stock market.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 27, 2026
With Treasury yields on the rise, stocks may be increasingly vulnerable to bonds stealing their thunder, particularly among investors who care about actual cash payouts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
But for the Bolts, favored by 9½ points, there would be no thunder stealing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Some of the rain could be heavy with a chance of thunder and lightning and will be accompanied by brisk south-westerly winds.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
“Drop the boy,” Nyame commands, a deep rumbling following his words like thunder after lightning.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
She was hauled down five-metres out, but the ball was recycled right, and centre Eve Higgins thunders over from close range.
From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2024
The secretary of state’s “silence thunders in my ears and heart,” the rabbi wrote.
From Slate ● Nov. 30, 2023
“Never darken my door again!” he thunders old-fashionedly, as though he’s subconsciously aware that the writers Kirsi Vikman and Jimmy Karlsson are drawing on centuries of love stories about savage men and civilizing women.
From New York Times ● Sep. 21, 2023
“Right now there’s a lot of smoke plume and it oozes and thunders, the curtains shake,” Aquino said.
From Seattle Times ● May 22, 2023
That moment it breaks out behind us, swells, roars, and thunders.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
When CNN co-moderator Elex Michaelson asked Villaraigosa if he would cancel California’s much-maligned high-speed rail project, the candidate’s emphatic “No” thundered down like a Lebron James dunk.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
"Where is the money?" supporters of Magyar's party, Tisza, thundered in unison, referring to accusations against local Fidesz politicians over millions of euros of public funds that have gone missing.
From Barron's ● Apr. 10, 2026
“A month of bombing has achieved nothing,” its cover thundered.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
As the sweeping “O Fortuna” movement of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana thundered over the loudspeakers, he rose from underneath the stage while sitting on a badass, none-more-black throne decorated with skulls and a gigantic bat.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2025
“No corres. Do not run,” a voice thundered from the sky.
From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty
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
Once inside the park before 8 a.m., their first stop was the Bridalveil Fall Trail, a short trek that takes visitors right to the base of the thundering cascade.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Dinwiddie evolves from being a thundering doubter about Washington to being an equally thundering supporter who refuses to accept the younger man’s resignation after a setback.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Ride, its follow-up, is a darker dose of disco, punctuated with cracking whips and the thundering footfall of wild horses.
From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2026
Then the king raised his hand, and with a rush like the sudden onset of a great wind the last host of Rohan rode thundering into the West.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
