rap

1 of 6

noun (1)

ˈrap 

1

: a sharp blow or knock

2

a

: a sharp rebuke or criticism

b

: a negative and often undeserved reputation or charge

—often used with bum or bad

given a bum rap by the press

3

a

: the responsibility for or adverse consequences of an action

refused to take the rap

b

: a criminal charge

c

: a prison sentence

rap

2 of 6

verb (1)

rapped; rapping; raps

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

1

: to strike a quick sharp blow

2

: to make a short sharp sound

rap

3 of 6

verb (2)

rapped also rapt ˈrapt  ; rapping; raps

transitive verb

1

: to snatch away or upward

2

: enrapture

rap

4 of 6

noun (2)

: a minimum amount or degree (as of care or consideration) : the least bit

doesn't care a rap

rap

5 of 6

noun (3)

1

: talk, conversation

also : a line of talk : patter

2

a

or rap music : a type of music of African American origin in which rhythmic and usually rhyming speech is chanted to a musical accompaniment

enjoys listening to rap

—often used before another noun

rap music

a rap album/artist/song

b

: a rap song

… the group mixes its usual raunch with mock news reports and anti-censorship raps …

—Jon Pareles

rap

6 of 6

verb (3)

rapped; rapping; raps

1

intransitive : to talk freely and frankly

… at a party rapping with a guy about music you love …

—Lisa Lombardi

2

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

She [Cardi B] encouraged the crowd while her husband [Offset] rapped his verse before she returned the favour and finished the song.

—Jonathan Landrum Jr.

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• indictment
• count
• charge

Verb (1)

• smack
• hit
• slap
• slam
• punch
• knock
• bang
• clip
• clap
• whack
• crack
• strike
• pound
• swipe
• bat

Verb (2)

• entrance
• transport
• carry away
• rapture
• delight
• please
• enthral
• satisfy

Noun (2)

• damn
• lick
• hoot
• whit
• shred

Noun (3)

• chat
• talk
• chatter
• gossip

Verb (3)

• chat
• talk
• converse
• rattle
• chatter

Examples of rap in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the headlines in the paper today are all about the mayor facing an embezzlement rap

the doctor used a little hammer to give me a rap on the knee to test my reflexes

would sooner take the rap for the missing money than tell on his friend

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

Noun (2)

I don't care a rap about losing that old jacket

Noun (3)

after our pickup softball game, I had a friendly rap with a couple of the guys in the park

Verb (3)

the guys at the gym never seem to tire about rapping about basketball

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Some people still think that the Black community is getting a bad rap, and that they’re being picked on and are not being supported. —Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 9 July 2025

This year, Lamar, emerging victorious from a rap war with Drake, delivered a historic Super Bowl halftime performance, swept the Grammys with his chart-topping diss track, won Album of the Year at the BET Awards, and embarked on a National Tour with SZA packed with star power. —Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025

Verb

After hopping on stage for an infamous moment at the 2022 Academy Awards, Will Smith has hopped the pond to rap about the slap heard 'round the world. —Sara Netzley, EW.com, 28 June 2025

Mamdani's team did not immediately respond for comment about his rapping past when contacted by USA TODAY on June 25. —Greta Cross, USA Today, 25 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English rappe

Verb (2)

back-formation from rapt

Noun (2)

perhaps from rap entry 1

Verb (3)

perhaps from rap entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1834, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (3)

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rap

• a rap on/over/across the knuckles
• beat the rap
• bum rap
• gangsta rap
• given a bum rap
• gotten a bum rap
• rap music
• rap session
• rap sheet
• rap (someone) on/over/across the knuckles
• rap someone's knuckles
• the rap
• took the rap

Rhymes for rap

• app
• cap
• chap
• clap
• crap
• flap
• frap
• gap
• hap
• lap
• nap
• nappe

Kids Definition

rap

1 of 5 noun

ˈrap 

1

: 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 noun

1

: 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"