thunderous

adjective

thun·​der·​ous ˈthən-d(ə-)rəs How to pronounce thunderous (audio)
1
a
: producing thunder
b
: making or accompanied by a noise like thunder
thunderous applause
2
thunderously adverb

Examples of thunderous in a Sentence

The audience responded with thunderous applause. the last thunderous chord of the symphony rang throughout the hall
Recent Examples on the Web Shani, 35, striking and smiling, emerged shortly thereafter, inspiring thunderous corrective applause. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Britz and his colleagues analyzed high-speed video recordings, micro-CT scans and genetic information to understand the unique way in which males of the species generate the thunderous sound. Katie Hunt, CNN, 2 Mar. 2024 The thunderous roar of the explosion washes over the audience, and scientists cheer each other in giddy disbelief. Hasina Jeelani, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024 Neighbors ran outside baffled by the thunderous sound that carried enough power to shake their homes. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 At night, the silence is eerie, punctured episodically by the thunderous sound of bombs exploding in Gaza. Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2024 Drive past jaw-dropping sights, like Native Alaskan totem poles, snowcapped mountains, and thunderous waterfalls. Janice Wald Henderson, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Mar. 2024 Turner’s thunderous drumming soundtracked all of it. Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 Those were the days when the rapids, reduced to just 14 churning miles from their historic 41, ended below a thunderous falls called Big Drop 3. Cassidy Randall, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thunderous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of thunderous was in 1582

Dictionary Entries Near thunderous

Cite this Entry

“Thunderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thunderous. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thunderous

adjective
thun·​der·​ous ˈthən-d(ə-)rəs How to pronounce thunderous (audio)
1
: producing thunder
2
: making a noise like thunder
thunderous applause
thunderously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on thunderous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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