1
—used to express a sound made by or as if by a gun
2
—used to indicate a sudden or instantaneous occurrence
zapped; zapping; zaps
1
a
: to get rid of, destroy, or kill especially with or as if with sudden force
b
: to hit with or as if with a sudden concentrated application of force or energy
c
: to irradiate especially with microwaves
2
a
: to propel suddenly or speedily
b
: to transport instantaneously
3
: to avoid watching (something, such as a television commercial) by changing channels especially with a remote control or by fast-forwarding
1
: to move with speed or force
2
: to change television channels using a remote control
Examples of zap in a Sentence
Verb
The flowers were zapped by the cold weather.
The aliens in the movie zapped people from spaceships.
She reheated her muffin by zapping it in the microwave for a few seconds.
I zapped through the channels for a while before falling asleep.
We tape the show so we can zap through the commercials.
Recent Examples on the Web
Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 23 Oct. 2025
The special teams play helped Los Alamitos zap the momentum of Edison, which took its first lead in the middle of the second quarter.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025
Who’s messing with the lights and filling the air with menacing rumbles and zaps?
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zap
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Low temps can affect plants in different ways that usually start with slowing a plant’s growth and metabolism and can zap any leaves — think of your poor herb garden.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 23 Oct. 2025
The special teams play helped Los Alamitos zap the momentum of Edison, which took its first lead in the middle of the second quarter.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
Microwave the bowl for 20 seconds—your brown sugar should be much softer thanks to the moisture in the paper towel (and if not, add a little more water to the disposable sheet and zap again).
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025
Who’s messing with the lights and filling the air with menacing rumbles and zaps?
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zap
Cite this Entry
“Zap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zap. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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