thunderbolt

About 0.62 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun A flash of lightning accompanied by a crash of thunder.
2. noun An event that is terrible, horrific or unexpected.

   News of the actress’s death came as a thunderbolt to her fans.

3. noun Vehement threatening or censure; especially, ecclesiastical denunciation; fulmination.
4. noun A very powerful shot.
5. noun A belemnite, or thunderstone.
6. noun A charge in the form of two joined bundles with four rays of lightning emerging from them, resembling the thunderbolt of Jupiter.
7. noun A daring or irresistible hero.
8. verb To strike with a thunderbolt.

Similar words

thunderclap bombshell bolt bolt of lightning thunder lightning flash thunderburst thunderstroke thunder and lightning

Often followed by

of and in from to had on is that

Word family

thunderbolts