Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun thunderbolt

2 senses of thunderbolt

Sense 1
thunderbolt, bolt, bolt of lightning -- (a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder)
       => lightning -- (abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light)

Sense 2
bombshell, thunderbolt, thunderclap -- (a shocking surprise; "news of the attack came like a bombshell")
       => surprise -- (a sudden unexpected event)