Thump is a heavy, dull sound made when something solid hits a surface. When you drop a thick book on the floor, it makes a thump. When a basketball bounces on a gym floor, each bounce creates a satisfying thump.

The word captures both the sound and the feeling of impact. A thump is deeper and heavier than a tap or click, but duller than a bang or crash. When your heart pounds hard from running or excitement, you might feel it thumping in your chest. A rabbit uses its powerful hind legs to thump the ground as a warning signal to other rabbits.

As a verb, thumping means hitting something heavily: you might thump your fist on a table to make a point, or thump someone gently on the back in congratulations. The word also describes defeating someone decisively, like when one team thumps another team 10-0 in soccer.