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
Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE, 9 Aug. 2023
Joyce Orlando, The Tennessean, 10 July 2025
Bringing mice to an enclosure and zapping their feet with tiny electric shocks, then bringing the mice back to the enclosure without zapping their feet, the researchers revealed which neurons are activated in the anterior basolateral amygdala (aBLA) when a mouse learns and unlearns a fear.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 20 June 2025
While some meals were designed to be briefly heated in an oven, Emma found that a quick zap in the microwave could also do the trick.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for zap
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Interjection
Yeah, truly, like passing a ball around and zip zap zopping.
—Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE, 9 Aug. 2023
Verb
Seeding technologies overlap, from essentially zapping clouds with electricity or using salt flares to artificially boost rain.
—Joyce Orlando, The Tennessean, 10 July 2025
Bringing mice to an enclosure and zapping their feet with tiny electric shocks, then bringing the mice back to the enclosure without zapping their feet, the researchers revealed which neurons are activated in the anterior basolateral amygdala (aBLA) when a mouse learns and unlearns a fear.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
Once in a while a strange alchemy occurs when words spoken or sung, or actions taken, music played, reaches across the footlights and zaps and zings those who watch in awe.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 20 June 2025
While some meals were designed to be briefly heated in an oven, Emma found that a quick zap in the microwave could also do the trick.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 June 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 15 Jul. 2025.
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