name · noun · verb · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈθʌndə/
General-American:thŭn′dər
General-American:/ˈθʌndɚ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ʌndə(ɹ)
CMU ARPABET:TH AH1 N D ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
The 13th sura (chapter) of the Qur'an.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The loud rumbling, cracking, or crashing sound caused by expansion of rapidly heated air around a lightning bolt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Thunder is preceded by lightning.
Thunder cracked overhead.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A deep, rumbling noise resembling thunder.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Off in the distance, he heard the thunder of hoofbeats, signalling a stampede.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
An alarming or startling threat or denunciation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The discharge of electricity; a thunderbolt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
Synonym of thunder word.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: literature, media, publishing
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: thunder word
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To produce thunder; to sound, rattle, or roar, as a discharge of atmospheric electricity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: impersonal
Examples
It thundered continuously.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To make a noise like thunder.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
The train thundered along the tracks.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To (make something) move very fast (with loud noise).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ergative
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
To say (something) with a loud, threatening voice.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, transitive
Examples
"Get back to work at once!", he thundered.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
To produce something with incredible power.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
street names for heroin
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: big H, hell dust, nose drops, smack, skag, scag
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: heroin, diacetylmorphine
13
noun
Meaning 13
a deep prolonged loud noise
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: boom, roar, roaring
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: noise
14
noun
Meaning 14
a booming or crashing noise caused by air expanding along the path of a bolt of lightning
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: noise
Narrower terms: thunderclap
15
verb
Meaning 15
utter words loudly and forcefully
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
`Get out of here,' he roared
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: roar
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: shout
16
verb
Meaning 16
to make or produce a loud noise
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The river thundered below
The engine roared as the driver pushed the car to full throttle
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: roar, howl
17
verb
Meaning 17
move fast, noisily, and heavily
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The bus thundered down the road
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: move
18
verb
Meaning 18
be the case that thunder is being heard
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Whenever it thunders, my dog crawls under the bed
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: boom
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English thunder, thonder, thundre, thonre, thunnere, þunre, from Old English þunor (“thunder”), from Proto-West Germanic *þunr, from Proto-Germanic *þunraz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ten-, *(s)tenh2- (“to thunder”). Compare astound, astonish, stun. Germanic cognates include West Frisian tonger, Dutch donder, German Donner, Old Norse Þórr (English Thor), Danish torden, Norwegian Nynorsk tore. Other cognates include Persian تندر (tondar), Latin tonō, detonō, Ancient Greek στένω (sténō), στενάζω (stenázō), στόνος (stónos), Στέντωρ (Sténtōr), Irish torann, Welsh taran, Gaulish Taranis. Doublet of donner, Thunor, and Thor.
From Middle English thundren, from Old English þunrian (“to thunder”), from Proto-West Germanic *þunrōn, from Proto-Germanic *þunrōną (“to thunder”).
Across languages
Translations
451 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
سورة الرعد
— 13th sura of the Qur'an
Uyghur:
رەئد
(re'd)
— 13th sura of the Qur'an
Abkhaz:
aдыд
(adəd)
— sound caused by lightning
Albanian:
bubullimë
— sound caused by lightning
Albanian:
mumurimë
— sound caused by lightning
Southern Altai:
кӱркӱреш
(kürküreš)
— sound caused by lightning
Chungli Ao:
tsüngmok
— sound caused by lightning
Arabic:
رَعْد
(raʕd)
— sound caused by lightning
Arabic:
رعد
(raʕd)
— sound caused by lightning
Arabic:
رعد
(raʕad, raʕd)
— sound caused by lightning
Arabic:
رعد
(raʕd)
— sound caused by lightning
Aramaic:
ܪܥܡܐ
(raʿmā)
— sound caused by lightning
Armenian:
որոտ
(orot)
— sound caused by lightning
Assamese:
ঢেৰেকনি
(dherekoni)
— sound caused by lightning
Assamese:
ঢেৰেক
(dherek)
— sound caused by lightning
Asturian:
troníu
— sound caused by lightning
Asturian:
tronabríu
— sound caused by lightning
Asturian:
tronada
— sound caused by lightning
Asturian:
truenu
— sound caused by lightning
Asturian:
renuberu
— sound caused by lightning
Atayal:
matus bisuw
— sound caused by lightning
Azerbaijani:
göy gurultusu
— sound caused by lightning
Azerbaijani:
ildırım
— sound caused by lightning
Balinese:
grudug
— sound caused by lightning
Basque:
ostots
— sound caused by lightning
Basque:
ihortziri
— sound caused by lightning
Basque:
ortziri
— sound caused by lightning
Belarusian:
гром
(hrom)
— sound caused by lightning
Belarusian:
грымо́ты
(hrymóty)
— sound caused by lightning
Bengali:
বজ্রধ্বনি
(bojroddhoni)
— sound caused by lightning
Central Bikol:
dalugdog
— sound caused by lightning
Central Bikol:
daguldol
— sound caused by lightning
Bulgarian:
гръм
(grǎm)
— sound caused by lightning
Bulgarian:
гръмоте́вица
(grǎmotévica)
— sound caused by lightning
Burmese:
မိုးကြိုး
(mui:krui:)
— sound caused by lightning
Carpathian Rusyn:
грум
(hrum)
— sound caused by lightning
Catalan:
tro
— sound caused by lightning
Cebuano:
dalugdog
— sound caused by lightning
Chamicuro:
tswali
— sound caused by lightning
Chechen:
къовкъа
(qʼovqʼa)
— sound caused by lightning
Cherokee:
ᎠᏴᏓᏆᎶᏍᎬ
(ayvdaqualosgv)
— sound caused by lightning
Chichewa:
bingu
— sound caused by lightning
Chinese Cantonese:
雷
(leoi4)
— sound caused by lightning
Chinese Cantonese:
雷聲 /雷声
— sound caused by lightning
Chinese Cantonese:
雷鳴 /雷鸣
(leoi4 ming4)
— sound caused by lightning
Eastern Min Chinese:
雷公
(lài-gŭng)
— sound caused by lightning
Hakka Chinese:
雷
(lùi)
— sound caused by lightning
Hakka Chinese:
雷公
(lùi-kûng)
— sound caused by lightning
Chinese:
雷
(lûi)
— sound caused by lightning
Chinese:
雷公
(lûi-kong)
— sound caused by lightning
Chinese Mandarin:
雷
(léi)
— sound caused by lightning
Chinese Mandarin:
雷聲 /雷声
(léishēng)
— sound caused by lightning
Chinese Mandarin:
雷鳴 /雷鸣
(léimíng)
— sound caused by lightning
Wu Chinese:
雷
— sound caused by lightning
Chuvash:
аслати
(aslat̬i)
— sound caused by lightning
West Circassian:
шыблэ
(šəblɛ)
— sound caused by lightning
Maore Comorian:
guguma
— sound caused by lightning
Czech:
hrom
— sound caused by lightning
Czech:
zahřmění
— sound caused by lightning
Dalmatian:
tun
— sound caused by lightning
Danish:
torden
— sound caused by lightning
Dutch:
donder
— sound caused by lightning
Dzongkha:
འབྲུག་སྐད
('brug skad)
— sound caused by lightning
Erzya:
пурьгине
(puŕgine)
— sound caused by lightning
Esperanto:
tondro
— sound caused by lightning
Esperanto:
fulmsono
— sound caused by lightning
Estonian:
kõu
— sound caused by lightning
Even:
агди
(agʒi)
— sound caused by lightning
Evenki:
агды
(agdi)
— sound caused by lightning
Faroese:
tora
— sound caused by lightning
Finnish:
jyrinä
— sound caused by lightning
Finnish:
jyrähdys
— sound caused by lightning
Franco-Provençal:
tonêrro
— sound caused by lightning
French:
tonnerre
— sound caused by lightning
West-Frisian:
tonger
— sound caused by lightning
Friulian:
ton
— sound caused by lightning
Friulian:
tonade
— sound caused by lightning
Galician:
trono
— sound caused by lightning
Galician:
tróo
— sound caused by lightning
Galician:
bruio
— sound caused by lightning
Galician:
orzán
— sound caused by lightning
Galician:
trouso
— sound caused by lightning
Galician:
trebón
— sound caused by lightning
Georgian:
ქუხილი
(kuxili)
— sound caused by lightning
Georgian:
ჭექა-ქუხილი
(č̣eka-kuxili)
— sound caused by lightning
German:
Donner
— sound caused by lightning
Old High German:
donar
— sound caused by lightning
German:
Dunner
— sound caused by lightning
Gothic:
𐌸𐌴𐌹𐍈𐍉
(þeiƕō)
— sound caused by lightning
Greek:
βροντή
(vrontí)
— sound caused by lightning
Greenlandic:
kalleq
— sound caused by lightning
Paraguayan Guarani:
sunu
— sound caused by lightning
Haitian Creole:
loray
— sound caused by lightning
Hamer-Banna:
gimbát
— sound caused by lightning
Hausa:
tarnatsa
— sound caused by lightning
Hebrew:
רַעַם
(rá'am)
— sound caused by lightning
Higaonon:
lugung
— sound caused by lightning
Hindi:
गरज
(garaj)
— sound caused by lightning
Hindi:
गड़गड़ाहट
(gaṛagṛāhaṭ)
— sound caused by lightning
Hindi:
राद
(rād)
— sound caused by lightning
Hindi:
गर्जन
(garjan)
— sound caused by lightning
Hindi:
मेघनाद
(meghnād)
— sound caused by lightning
Hungarian:
mennydörgés
— sound caused by lightning
Hungarian:
égzengés
— sound caused by lightning
Icelandic:
þruma
— sound caused by lightning
Ido:
tondro
— sound caused by lightning
Indonesian:
guntur
— sound caused by lightning
Indonesian:
guruh
— sound caused by lightning
Ingrian:
ukko
— sound caused by lightning
Ingrian:
jyry
— sound caused by lightning
Ingrian:
jyrinä
— sound caused by lightning
Ingrian:
ukonjyry
— sound caused by lightning
Interlingua:
tonitro
— sound caused by lightning
Iranun:
dalendeg
— sound caused by lightning
Irish:
toirneach
— sound caused by lightning
Isoko:
egbrara
— sound caused by lightning
Italian:
tuono
— sound caused by lightning
Japanese:
雷
(kaminari)
— sound caused by lightning
Japanese:
雷鳴
(raimei)
— sound caused by lightning
Japanese:
雷音
(raion)
— sound caused by lightning
Javanese:
bledhèg
— sound caused by lightning
Javanese:
gludhug
— sound caused by lightning
Kalmyk:
лу
(lu)
— sound caused by lightning
Kazakh:
күн күркіреу
(kün kürkıreu)
— sound caused by lightning
Kazakh:
күркіреу
(kürkıreu)
— sound caused by lightning
Khmer:
ផ្គរ
(pkɔɔ)
— sound caused by lightning
Klamath-Modoc:
lmeys
— sound caused by lightning
Komi-Zyrian:
гым
(gym)
— sound caused by lightning
Korean:
우레
(ure)
— sound caused by lightning
Korean:
천둥
(cheondung)
— sound caused by lightning
Kott:
ajak
— sound caused by lightning
Northern Kurdish:
gurmegurm gurrgurr
— sound caused by lightning
Kyrgyz:
күркүрөө
(kürküröö)
— sound caused by lightning
Lao:
ຟ້າຮ້ອງ
(fā hǭng)
— sound caused by lightning
Latgalian:
pārkiuņs
— sound caused by lightning
Latin:
tonitrus
— sound caused by lightning
Latin:
tonitruum
— sound caused by lightning
Latin:
tonus
— sound caused by lightning
Latvian:
pērkons
— sound caused by lightning
Lepcha:
ᰠᰌᰬᰲ
(sader)
— sound caused by lightning
Lezgi:
гугрум
(gugrum)
— sound caused by lightning
Limburgish:
dónder
— sound caused by lightning
Lithuanian:
griaustinis
— sound caused by lightning
Lokono:
kulakani
— sound caused by lightning
Luxembourgish:
Dimmer
— sound caused by lightning
Luxembourgish:
Donner
— sound caused by lightning
Macedonian:
гром
(grom)
— sound caused by lightning
Macedonian:
грмотевица
(grmotevica)
— sound caused by lightning
Maguindanao:
dalendeg
— sound caused by lightning
Malagasy:
ampy
— sound caused by lightning
Malay:
guruh
— sound caused by lightning
Malay:
guntur
— sound caused by lightning
Brunei Malay:
guruh
— sound caused by lightning
Malayalam:
ഇടി
(iṭi)
— sound caused by lightning
Maltese:
ragħad
— sound caused by lightning
Manchu:
ᠠᡴᠵᠠᠨ
(akjan)
— sound caused by lightning
Western Bukidnon Manobo:
ruɣung
— sound caused by lightning
Mansaka:
rugung
— sound caused by lightning
Manx:
taarnagh
— sound caused by lightning
Māori:
whaitiri
— sound caused by lightning
Maranao:
dalendeg
— sound caused by lightning
Maranao:
rogong
— sound caused by lightning
Marathi:
गर्जना
(garjanā)
— sound caused by lightning
Marathi:
डरकाळी
(ḍarkāḷī)
— sound caused by lightning
Marathi:
गडगडाट
(gaḍagḍāṭ)
— sound caused by lightning
Eastern Mari:
кӱдырчӧ
(küdyrčö)
— sound caused by lightning
Western Mari:
хӹдӹртӹш
(hÿdÿrtÿš)
— sound caused by lightning
Mauritian Creole:
loraz
— sound caused by lightning
Mon:
ဓဂဵု
— sound caused by lightning
Mongolian:
аянга
(ajanga)
— sound caused by lightning
Nanai:
агди
(agʒi)
— sound caused by lightning
Navajo:
iiʼniʼ
— sound caused by lightning
Ngarrindjeri:
munti
— sound caused by lightning
Norwegian Bokmål:
torden
— sound caused by lightning
Norwegian Nynorsk:
tore
— sound caused by lightning
Nyunga:
koondarnangor
— sound caused by lightning
Occitan:
tron
— sound caused by lightning
Occitan:
tronada
— sound caused by lightning
Odia:
ଗର୍ଜନ
(garjana)
— sound caused by lightning
Church Slavic:
громъ
(gromŭ)
— sound caused by lightning
Old East Slavic:
громъ
(gromŭ)
— sound caused by lightning
Old English:
þunor
— sound caused by lightning
Old Norse:
þórr
— sound caused by lightning
Old Tupi:
amãsununga
— sound caused by lightning
Old Tupi:
tupã
— sound caused by lightning
Old Tupi:
tupãsununga
— sound caused by lightning
Oromo:
bakakkaa
— sound caused by lightning
Ossetian:
ӕрвнӕрын
(ærvnæryn)
— sound caused by lightning
Pannonian Rusyn:
гром
(hrom)
— sound caused by lightning
Iranian Persian:
تُنْدَر
(tondar)
— sound caused by lightning
Iranian Persian:
تُنْدُر
(tondor)
— sound caused by lightning
Iranian Persian:
رَعْد
(ra'd)
— sound caused by lightning
Plautdietsch:
Donna
— sound caused by lightning
Polish:
grzmot
— sound caused by lightning
Polish:
grom
— sound caused by lightning
Portuguese:
trovão
— sound caused by lightning
Quechua:
q'aqya
— sound caused by lightning
Romagnol:
tràun
— sound caused by lightning
Romanian:
tunet
— sound caused by lightning
Romansh:
tun
— sound caused by lightning
Romansh:
tung
— sound caused by lightning
Russian:
гром
(grom)
— sound caused by lightning
Northern Sami:
baján
— sound caused by lightning
Samoan:
fai'titili
— sound caused by lightning
Samoan:
ta'alili
— sound caused by lightning
Sanskrit:
गर्जन
(garjana)
— sound caused by lightning
Sardinian:
tronu
— sound caused by lightning
Scots:
thunner
— sound caused by lightning
Scottish Gaelic:
tàirneanach
— sound caused by lightning
Serbo-Croatian:
гро̑м
— sound caused by lightning
Serbo-Croatian:
гр̀мљавина
— sound caused by lightning
Serbo-Croatian:
grȏm
— sound caused by lightning
Serbo-Croatian:
gr̀mljavina
— sound caused by lightning
Shan:
ၽႃႉလင်
(phâ̰a lǎng)
— sound caused by lightning
Sicilian:
tronu
— sound caused by lightning
Sidamo:
banqo
— sound caused by lightning
Sinhalese:
විදුලි කෙටීම
(widuli keṭīma)
— sound caused by lightning
Slovak:
hrom
— sound caused by lightning
Slovene:
grom
— sound caused by lightning
Slovene:
grmenje
— sound caused by lightning
Solos:
pina
— sound caused by lightning
Somali:
onkod
— sound caused by lightning
Lower Sorbian:
grom
— sound caused by lightning
Upper Sorbian:
hrimanje
— sound caused by lightning
Upper Sorbian:
hrom
— sound caused by lightning
Spanish:
trueno
— sound caused by lightning
Sranan Tongo:
dondru
— sound caused by lightning
Sumerian:
𒅗𒀭𒉌𒋛
— sound caused by lightning
Sundanese:
guludug
— sound caused by lightning
Swahili:
radi
— sound caused by lightning
Swedish:
åska
— sound caused by lightning
Swedish:
(åsk) smäll
— sound caused by lightning
Swedish:
dunder
— sound caused by lightning
Swedish:
tordön
— sound caused by lightning
Tabasaran:
гугрум
(gugrum)
— sound caused by lightning
Tagalog:
kulog
— sound caused by lightning
Tai Dam:
ꪡ꫁ꪱꪵꪠ꫁
(ꞌphạ phẻ)
— sound caused by lightning
Tajik:
тундар
(tundar)
— sound caused by lightning
Tajik:
раъд
(ra'd)
— sound caused by lightning
Tamil:
இடி
(iṭi)
— sound caused by lightning
Taos:
nąłàcitʼə́otuna
— sound caused by lightning
Tarifit:
ajjaj
— sound caused by lightning
Tausug:
daugdug
— sound caused by lightning
Telugu:
ఉరుము
(urumu)
— sound caused by lightning
Tetum:
rai-tarutu
— sound caused by lightning
Thai:
ฟ้าร้อง
(fáa-rɔ́ɔng)
— sound caused by lightning
Northern Thai:
ᨼ᩶ᩣᩁᩬ᩶ᨦ
— sound caused by lightning
Tibetan:
ལྡིར་སྒྲ
(ldir sgra)
— sound caused by lightning
Turkish:
gök gürültüsü
— sound caused by lightning
Turkish:
yıldırım
— sound caused by lightning
Turkmen:
ýyldyrym
— sound caused by lightning
Tutelo:
tuhangrua
— sound caused by lightning
Tuvan:
диңмирээшкин
(diñmireeşkin)
— sound caused by lightning
Udmurt:
гудыри
(gudyri)
— sound caused by lightning
Ugaritic:
𐎗𐎓𐎚
(rʿt)
— sound caused by lightning
Ukrainian:
грім
(hrim)
— sound caused by lightning
Urdu:
گَرَج
(garaj)
— sound caused by lightning
Urdu:
گَڑْگَڑاہَٹ
(gaṛgaṛāhaṭ)
— sound caused by lightning
Urdu:
رَعْد
(ra'd)
— sound caused by lightning
Urhobo:
agbrara
— sound caused by lightning
Uzbek:
momaqaldiroq
— sound caused by lightning
Venetan:
ton
— sound caused by lightning
Vietnamese:
sấm
— sound caused by lightning
Volapük:
töt
— sound caused by lightning
Walloon:
tonire
— sound caused by lightning
Walloon:
tonoere
— sound caused by lightning
Waray-Waray:
dalugdog
— sound caused by lightning
Welsh:
taranau
— sound caused by lightning
Welsh:
tyrfau
— sound caused by lightning
Welsh:
trystau
— sound caused by lightning
West Flemish:
dunder
— sound caused by lightning
Winnebago:
kʼoo
— sound caused by lightning
Woiwurrung:
ngurndabil
— sound caused by lightning