thunderbolt
Shocking sky discharge
A thunderbolt is a flash of lightning conceived as a bolt or projectile hurled from the sky.
In mythology, gods like Zeus and Thor wielded thunderbolts as weapons.
The word now usually describes something sudden and shocking: The news hit like a thunderbolt.
A person or thing that strikes with devastating speed and force can be called a thunderbolt: He was a thunderbolt on the football field. (Capitalized Thunderbolt is a brand name for high-speed data connections.)
Greek sky god
- ThorGermanic thunder deity
- MjolnirThunder god's hammer
- IndraVedic king of deities
- JupiterLargest solar system planet
deity · Olympus · smite · wrath · divine · pantheon · immortal · thunderer
Throwing spear for sport
- projectileLaunched airborne object
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
- arrowPointed shaft for shooting
- hurledThrew with force
Zeus · smite · arsenal · Mjolnir · celestial · piercing · destructive · almighty
Severe atmospheric disturbance
- flashBrief burst of light
- strikeForceful impact or stoppage
- dischargeRelease of substance outward
- arcCurved line segment
plasma · spark · electricity · cumulonimbus · clouds · ionosphere · voltage · current
Occurring without prior notice
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- startlingCausing sudden surprise
- joltAbrupt forceful shake
- stunningExtremely impressive or beautiful
bombshell · revelation · surprise · astonishment · disbelief · bewilderment · blindsided · reeling
Zeus
Greek sky god
Jupiter · deity · Olympus · smite · wrath · divine · pantheon · immortal · thunderer · hurled
javelin
Throwing spear for sport
- projectileLaunched airborne object
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
- arrowPointed shaft for shooting
hurled · Zeus · smite · arsenal · Mjolnir · celestial · piercing · destructive · almighty · wrath
storm
Severe atmospheric disturbance
arc · plasma · spark · electricity · cumulonimbus · clouds · ionosphere · voltage · current · electrostatic
sudden
Occurring without prior notice
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- startlingCausing sudden surprise
- joltAbrupt forceful shake
stunning · bombshell · revelation · surprise · astonishment · disbelief · bewilderment · blindsided · reeling · staggering
power
Energy transfer rate
- emblemRepresentational sign or device
- insigniaDistinguishing mark of rank
- logoCompany identifying symbol
heraldry · badge · crest · military · aviation · flash · sports · mascot · energy · speed
- Classical MythologyZeus, Apollo, Venus, Athena, Aphrodite
- Greek mythologyZeus, Athena, Apollo, Hera, Poseidon
- compound wordsbookmark, breakdown, sunlight, breakup, snowflake
- Lightninglightning, lightning strike, flash, fork lightning, forked lightning
- spellsspell, cast, conjure, curse, enchantment
- Thunderrumble, boom, crack, roll, peal
thunderboltheat lightning
Distant thunderstorm glow
sheet lightning · whisper · silence · murmur · stillness
thunderboltgentle nudge
anticlimax · non-event · subtle hint · foregone conclusion · inevitability