whack

1 of 2

verb

whacked; whacking; whacks
Synonyms of whacknext

transitive verb

1
a
: to strike with a smart or resounding blow
whack the ball
b
: to cut with or as if with a whack : chop
2
chiefly British : to get the better of : defeat
3
slang : murder, kill

intransitive verb

: to strike a smart or resounding blow
whacker noun

whack

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a smart or resounding blow
also : the sound of or as if of such a blow
b
: a critical attack
2
3
4
a
: an opportunity or attempt to do something
take a whack at it
b
: a single action or occasion
borrowed $50 all at one whack
see also:

Examples of whack in a Sentence

Verb She whacked the piñata with a stick. The old man lifted his cane and whacked the mugger on the head. They were whacking through the jungle with their machetes. He got whacked by mobsters. Noun The pile of books hit the floor with a whack. took a whack at solving the math problem
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.
Verb
His young nephew provided the entertainment, whacking a plastic ball around with a toy club on the lawn, replicating pro golf mannerisms a little too closely. Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2026 Ulta Beauty shares are getting whacked this morning, down over 7%. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
Many of the body’s essential systems—the heart, the brain, the nervous system—depend on electrical signals, and lightning can throw these thoroughly out of whack. Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026 In the opening minute alone, Murphy shot just wide off a turnover and Josefin Bouveng set up Madison Kaiser for a couple of whacks from the edge of the blue paint that were both stopped. Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for whack

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably imitative of the sound of a blow

First Known Use

Verb

1719, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1737, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of whack was in 1719

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whack. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

whack

1 of 2 verb
ˈhwak How to pronounce whack (audio)
ˈwak
: to hit or cut with a hard noisy blow
whacked the ball into left field
whacker noun

whack

2 of 2 noun
1
: a hard noisy blow
also : its sound
2
: try entry 2, attempt
take a whack at it

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