# thunderstorm

/ˈθəndɝˌstɔɹm/ (US) · /θˈʌndəstˌɔːm/ (UK) · CEFR A2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/thunderstorm
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

a heavy rain storm with very loud noises and bright flashes of light in the sky.

For teachers: a transient weather disturbance characterised by the presence of lightning and its associated acoustic effect, known as thunder.

## Examples

- The sudden thunderstorm forced us to cancel our picnic.
- The heavy thunderstorm caused a brief power outage across the entire neighborhood last night.
- As the atmospheric pressure dropped, a violent thunderstorm rolled across the plains, illuminating the horizon with frequent jagged bolts of lightning.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.