Meaning & use

lightning bolt

noun·Everyday

A single flash or streak of lightning that travels between a cloud and the ground.

See it in a sentence

A lightning bolt split the old oak tree in the middle of the storm.

The photographer captured a lightning bolt striking the hillside just before dawn.

A note on using this word

Lightning bolt describes one visible strike, while lightning is the broader electrical phenomenon.

Words with a similar meaning

thunderbolt

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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