wham
word
/ˈhwæm/
/wˈæm/
Definition
An exclamation or noun that represents a loud, sudden impact, like a bang or crash. Used for the sound of something hitting hard.
Usage & Nuances
'Wham' is mostly informal and onomatopoeic, used in comics, storytelling, and to dramatize action. It is often followed by exclamation marks ('Wham!'). Not used in formal writing. Can also appear as a noun ('with a wham').
Spanish: ¡zas! - ¡pum! (sonido de golpe fuerte)Portuguese (BR): pá! - bum! (som de batida ou impacto forte)Portuguese (PT): pum! - zás! (som de impacto forte)Chinese (Simplified): 砰 - 啪 (强烈撞击声)Chinese (Traditional): 砰 - 啪 (強烈撞擊聲)Hindi: धड़ाम - धम (तेज़ टकराने की आवाज़)Arabic: بام! - طاخ! (صوت الضربة القوية)Bengali: ধাম - বাজ - গর্জনRussian: бах - бабах - грохотJapanese: ドカン - バーンVietnamese: rầm - ầmKorean: 쾅 - 쾅쾅Turkish: güm - pat - çatUrdu: دھماکہ - ٹھک - بھڑاکIndonesian: gedebuk - brak - gedebam
Example Sentences
Out of nowhere, wham!—the thunder shook the house.
natural
Suddenly, wham, the ball hit the window.
basic
The door shut with a loud wham.
basic
Wham! The books fell off the shelf.
basic
I turned the corner and wham, I ran right into my friend.
natural
Everything was fine, then wham—the lights went out.
natural