English Reference
Noun

thump

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US /ˈθəmp/ UK /θˈʌmp/ thump UK spelling thumped, thumps

n.a loud, heavy sound that you hear when something hits a surface. It is often a deep, solid noise like a heart beating or a heavy object falling.

n.a loud, heavy, dull sound, typically produced by a heavy object striking a surface or by a rhythmic pulse. Often used to describe the sound of a heartbeat or a heavy bass note.


SIMPLE

I heard a loud thump from the basement.

CONTEXTUAL

The bass thump from the neighbor's speakers was so loud that it shook the floorboards of the apartment.

COMPLEX

The rhythmic thump of the engine provided a steady background to the conversation, masking the occasional creak of the old wooden hull as it moved through the waves.

The opening game saw Gauff thump a 112mph ace down the middle, followed by an unreturned first serve and another ace, on her way to holding serve in less than 90 seconds.

BBC News· 2 Sept 2026

Yuito Suzuki scored a hat-trick as Freiburg thumped Werder Bremen 4-1, while Schalke ’s first game back in ⁠the Bundesliga ended in a 3-0 defeat at Augsburg as they finished with 10 men.

The Guardian· 30 Aug 2026
This entry
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Occasional
Updated