rapped; rapping; raps
1
: to strike with a sharp blow
2
: to utter suddenly and forcibly
3
: to cause to be or come by raps
rap the meeting to order
4
: to criticize sharply
rapped also rapt
ˈrapt 
; rapping; raps
; rapping; raps
rapped; rapping; raps
1
intransitive
: to talk freely and frankly
… at a party rapping with a guy about music you love …—
Lisa Lombardi
Lisa Lombardi2
transitive + intransitive
: to perform rap music
Does it feel strange to rap solo after being part of a big group like Harlem Spartans?—Kyann-Sian Williams
Kyann-Sian WilliamsShe [Cardi B] encouraged the crowd while her husband [Offset] rapped his verse before she returned the favour and finished the song.—Jonathan Landrum Jr.
Jonathan Landrum Jr.Examples of rap in a Sentence
Verb (1)
a childhood memory of the time he got his knuckles rapped for trying to steal candy from the corner store
the impatient man was rapping his knuckles on the door, hoping to wake up the sleeping attendant
Verb (2)
concertgoers were utterly rapped by the power of Handel's oratorio
suddenly the hawk swooped down and rapped the unwary rodent
Verb (3)
the guys at the gym never seem to tire about rapping about basketball
Recent Examples on the Web
Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2026
Veeze’s signature rapping voice, which sounds like his vocal cords are coated in phlegm and cough syrup, is increasingly versatile, despite the sometimes half-asleep delivery.
—Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026
But the viewing was grimmer than that as the Brewers rapped out 18 hits and drew 11 walks.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 2 June 2026
The first cuts on Big Mama confirm Latto’s hard-rapping bona fides.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rap
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Verb
Dasan Harris rapped an RBI single that beat the shift that gave OU a 2-1 lead.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2026
Veeze’s signature rapping voice, which sounds like his vocal cords are coated in phlegm and cough syrup, is increasingly versatile, despite the sometimes half-asleep delivery.
—Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026
But the viewing was grimmer than that as the Brewers rapped out 18 hits and drew 11 walks.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 2 June 2026
The first cuts on Big Mama confirm Latto’s hard-rapping bona fides.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rap
Cite this Entry
“Rap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rap. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rap
1 of 5 noun1
: a sharp blow or knock
2
a
: a sharp criticism
b
: a bad reputation that is often not deserved
given a bad rap
3
a
: the blame for or unfavorable consequences of an action
took the rap
b
: a criminal charge
a murder rap
rap
2 of 5 verb
rapped; rapping
1
: to give a quick sharp blow : knock
2
: to utter suddenly with force
rap
3 of 5 noun
: the least bit
doesn't care a rap
rap
4 of 5 verb
rapped; rapping
1
: to talk freely and frankly
2
: to perform rap
rap
5 of 5 noun1
: an informal talk : chat, conversation
also
: a line of talk : patter
2
a
: a rhythmic chanting often in unison of usually rhymed couplets to a musical accompaniment
b
: a musical piece so performed
Etymology
Noun
Middle English rappe "a hard blow"
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