thunderbolt
word
Definition
A flash of lightning with a loud sound of thunder, or something very sudden and surprising.
Usage & Nuances
Used for both literal storms and metaphors for surprises or shocks ('a thunderbolt from the blue'). Common in stories and dramatic speeches. Not used in daily weather reports; 'lightning' is more usual.
Spanish: rayo - relámpago (trueno)Portuguese (BR): raio - raio (acompanhado de trovão)Portuguese (PT): raio - raio (com trovão)Chinese (Simplified): 雷电 - 霹雳Chinese (Traditional): 雷電 - 霹靂Hindi: बिजली का कड़कता हुआ झटकाArabic: صاعقةBengali: বজ্রপাত - আকস্মিক ঘটনাRussian: громовая молния - удар судьбыJapanese: 稲妻 - 落雷Vietnamese: sét đánh - tin sét đánh (ẩn dụ)Korean: 번개 - 충격적인 소식Turkish: yıldırım - ani şokUrdu: آسمانی بجلی - غیر متوقع صدمہIndonesian: petir - kejutan besar
Example Sentences
A thunderbolt struck the tree during the storm.
basic
The news was like a thunderbolt to everyone.
basic
He drew a picture of a thunderbolt for his science class.
basic
When she quit, it was a real thunderbolt for the whole team.
natural
The announcement hit him like a thunderbolt out of the blue.
natural
The hero threw a magical thunderbolt to defeat the monster.
natural