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
Indeed, the removal of Maduro could be interpreted as a slap in the face for Beijing, given a high-ranking Chinese delegation was hosted in his Caracas palace just hours earlier.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
Anything else is a slap in the face to those who waited and followed the rules.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 1 Jan. 2026
For The Washington Post As the days get shorter, the nights longer, and the air has grown so chilled that even the gentlest of breezes feels like a slap in the face, the city sparkles with twinkling lights everywhere.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
The problem is, this was a slap in the face of survivors.
—CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a slap in the face
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Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
Anything else is a slap in the face to those who waited and followed the rules.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 1 Jan. 2026
For The Washington Post As the days get shorter, the nights longer, and the air has grown so chilled that even the gentlest of breezes feels like a slap in the face, the city sparkles with twinkling lights everywhere.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
The problem is, this was a slap in the face of survivors.
—CBS News, 21 Dec. 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 9 Jan. 2026.
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