thump

Dull striking sound

Thump is a dull, heavy sound—the kind made when something solid strikes something else without much resonance: I heard a thump from upstairs.

As a verb, to thump is to strike with force or to make such a sound: She thumped the table, His heart thumped in his chest.

A thumping can be a beating: They gave him a good thumping.

sound

thud

Dull impact noise

bangSudden loud noise
boomLoud deep sound
poundWeight, strike, or kennel

knock · slam · whack · smack · clunk · wallop · clatter · crash · thunder · rap

impact

hit

Successful contact or strike

strikeForceful impact or stoppage
blowMove air forcefully
punchStrike with fist

wallop · smack · whack · knock · slam · bump · jolt · collision · bash · clobber

rhythm

beat

Rhythmic pulse or strike

pulseArterial blood throb
bassDeep pitch or fish
drumStruck percussion cylinder

percussion · tempo · groove · downbeat · backbeat · cadence · syncopation · measure · time · kick drum

heartbeat

pulse

Arterial blood throb

poundingForceful repeated striking
racingSpeed competition sport
flutterRapid light movement

palpitation · cardiac · chest · rhythm · beat · throb · pumping · lub-dub · quickening · skipping

Categories

drum soundsbeat, boom, drumroll, hit, kick
footstep soundsfootsteps, stomp, thud, clop, scuff
heartbeatbeat, pulse, throb, lub-dub, pounding
machine soundshumming, buzzing, whirring, clanking, grinding
motion soundsswoosh, whoosh, swish, rustle, rumble
sound wordsclick, clank, cacophony, clink, crash

Opposites

force/intensity of contact

Gentle loving touch

stroke · pat · tap · brush · graze

sound quality

Total lack of sound

hush · stillness · quiet · whisper · murmur

manner of movement

Walk on foot-fronts

creep · glide · pad · sneak · float

Phrases

rule of thumbPractical approximation, not strict
green thumbInborn skill with plants
thumb driveCompact removable digital storage
black thumbInability to grow plants
thumb warPinning game using fingers
under one's thumbDominated by another

Family

thumb, thumping, thumped, thumps, thumbing, thumpers, thumper, thumpings, thumpity

Familiarity: Top 10,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G