as in thud
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the TV a good wham with her fist, and suddenly the picture came back on
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to smack
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wham
SI.com, 21 June 2019
Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 16 Aug. 2025
Easy drinking 100% Merlot with 14% alcohol with flavors that include dark licorice, cinnamon and nutmeg and a wham of a finish.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno and company made their wham-bam-glam debut on ‘Roxy Music’ 50 years ago.
—Jill Krajewski, SPIN, 8 June 2022
Perhaps my overall disappointment stems from this pilot stiffness, but the more likely culprit is the standard brashness of American reality television, which is less cinema vérité and more wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am.
—Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Feb. 2020
But the movie, for all its retrograde politics and wham-bam machismo, can also be slick, silly fun — a giddy exercise in freewheeling nihilism, played to the hilt.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2020
The movie comes at you with a quick, wham-bam style that feels like a nod to the source material, a DC Vertigo comic-book series by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2019
Noun
Goalscorer Asamoah Gyan took the resulting penalty, only to wham it off the top of the bar.
—SI.com, 21 June 2019
Verb
There’s an understood language of action that marries really close-up, sharp inserts, the propulsion of rapid editing, wham-bam sound effects, and visual carnage to create excitement.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 16 Aug. 2025
Easy drinking 100% Merlot with 14% alcohol with flavors that include dark licorice, cinnamon and nutmeg and a wham of a finish.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno and company made their wham-bam-glam debut on ‘Roxy Music’ 50 years ago.
—Jill Krajewski, SPIN, 8 June 2022
Perhaps my overall disappointment stems from this pilot stiffness, but the more likely culprit is the standard brashness of American reality television, which is less cinema vérité and more wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am.
—Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Feb. 2020
But the movie, for all its retrograde politics and wham-bam machismo, can also be slick, silly fun — a giddy exercise in freewheeling nihilism, played to the hilt.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2020
The movie comes at you with a quick, wham-bam style that feels like a nod to the source material, a DC Vertigo comic-book series by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wham
Noun
-
Scream 4 landed with a thud upon release, but history has rescued its reputation among die-hards.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Sep. 2025
-
The offense started fast but finished with a thud.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Below is the lead paragraph of the Daily Mail’s story, which Dua Lipa smacked down in an Instagram Stories post days later.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Really, there’s only one character onstage who commands an audience’s attention, and that’s Hines’ gum-smacking sister-in-law, who turns from antagonist to supporter.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Ravens have gotten off to a 1-3 start in a season for the first time since 2015, delivering an early blow to the team’s Super Bowl ambitions.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Then came the biggest blow with Gavi’s torn meniscus.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The newer versions can hit stationary and moving targets at sea.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Sep. 2025
-
His termination notice came just over a week after reporting he had been hit by a car while on duty.—
Andi Babineau,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The dramatic thump of the ship’s four electromagnetic catapults which shoot them into the sky is constant and can be heard throughout the ship.—
Matthew Bodner,
NBC news,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The Red Sox are in a good spot for their future, but their lineup clearly needs more thump.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Riley Greene whacked a 96-mph fastball that snuck over the right-field fence for Detroit’s second run.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Cal thumped the Beavers, whacked Texas Southern and outlasted Minnesota.—
Jon Wilner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
A couple of good back slaps and thumps from the adoring crowd.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Karl turned on the headlights and got the windshield wipers going at a mad slap.—
Ann Patchett,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Ali retired from boxing undefeated with a perfect 24-0 professional record, including 21 knockouts, and remains a defining figure in women’s sports.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The driver ultimately came to a stop at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Franklin Street in Buena Park, with various law enforcement vehicles, including some undercover vans, boxing the truck in place.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wham.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wham. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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