a slap in the face
noun phrase
: a surprising act that offends or insults someone
Her decision to leave the company to work for our competitors was a slap in the face.
Examples of a slap in the face in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Using the formal language of propriety to mask a slap in the face.
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Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
If April’s export controls were a wakeup call to Washington, Beijing’s most recent announcement is a slap in the face.
—Young Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Being betrayed by a boy is a slap in the face; being betrayed by your hero is a true gut punch.
—Zach Schiffman, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
South Korea’s top diplomat then rushed to Washington to negotiate their release, while public fury swelled back home over what many see as a slap in the face from their longtime ally.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a slap in the face
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Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
If April’s export controls were a wakeup call to Washington, Beijing’s most recent announcement is a slap in the face.
—Young Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Being betrayed by a boy is a slap in the face; being betrayed by your hero is a true gut punch.
—Zach Schiffman, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
South Korea’s top diplomat then rushed to Washington to negotiate their release, while public fury swelled back home over what many see as a slap in the face from their longtime ally.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a slap in the face
Cite this Entry
“A slap in the face.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20slap%20in%20the%20face. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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