kick drum

noun

plural kick drums
: a bass drum that is part of a drum kit and that is typically played by stepping on a pedal attached to a mallet
The kick drum provides the deeper thumping tones that drive the songs …Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson, quoted in Rolling Stone

Examples of kick drum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Of course, as dance artists, Barry (his real name is actually Joshua) and O’Flynn tie these delicate elements together with a hefty kick drum. Katie Bain, Billboard, 18 Apr. 2025 Landry is setting off a sonic boom through dance music, one kick drum at a time. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025 The thumping kick drum that usually drives this song is hard to hear. PC Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025 Most of the album’s 4/4 kick drums pulse with a sense of liberation — these ones pound with urgency. Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025 The low-mids, on the other hand, are pushed back, taking away some of the body from the kick drum. PCMAG, 11 Feb. 2025 The bass synth notes and kick drum hits sound round and full but fall well short of head-rattling. PCMAG, 5 Feb. 2025 The kick drum pounding away through the track is a little heavy, as are some of the bass notes, but not enough to drown out other elements of the song. PCMAG, 14 Jan. 2025 The kick drum hit is impactful and the vocals come through loud and clear. PCMAG, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kick drum was in 1975

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Cite this Entry

“Kick drum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick%20drum. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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