clapped back; clapping back; claps back
US, informal
: to respond quickly and sharply to criticism
A lot of times when someone says something nasty to you online, your gut reaction is to clap back right away. It's always good to take a cooling-off period—I recommend sleeping on it.—
Patrick Crowley
Patrick CrowleyThis week, Mandy Moore clapped back at haters on Instagram after people accused her of Photoshopping her social media photos … "I am 5'10 and a size 6. I have NEVER photoshopped pictures … That's not what I'm about. If you're going to be rude about people's bodies, go elsewhere."—Kitty Lindsay
Kitty Lindsay
clap·back
ˈklap-ˌbak 
variants
or less commonly clap back
plural clapbacks also clap backs
US, informal
: a quick, sharp, and effective response to criticism
Not to be confused with a garden-variety diss, a clapback is deemed by most as a targeted, often viciously acute comeback intended to place someone in much-needed check.—Aaron Edwards and Ira Madison III
Aaron Edwards and Ira Madison IIIWe all love a good clapback. It's a comeback but with that extra oomph.—Mathew Rodriguez
Mathew RodriguezThe art of the clap back is a study in discernment, wit, and instinct, which is why it should come as no surprise that Rihanna, Internet queen, is the reigning champ of shutting down the haters.—Cady Lang
Cady Lang
Examples of clap back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebKristina Behr, Parents, 2 Apr. 2024
Paris, 43, clapped back at the allegations in the comment section of the fan account @queensofbravo, which had shared the clip.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024
Nick Offerman put his acceptance speech to good use at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards, by clapping back at the homophobic backlash that followed his brief role in The Last of Us.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 26 Feb. 2024
Pro golfers Zach Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Billy Horschel clapped back at fans’ unruly behavior over the weekend at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2024
Superstars tend to ignore social media, but Durant not only responds, but will clap back.
—The Arizona Republic, 20 Jan. 2024
In the past, Eilish, who was most recently romantically linked to the Neighbourhood frontman Jesse Rutherford, has clapped back at speculation regarding her sexuality.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 3 Dec. 2023
Megan Fox is clapping back at critics who had negative things to say about her appearance during the 2024 Super Bowl weekend.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024
Following a slew of harsh criticism about Gen Z’s work ethic, the young generation is clapping back.
—Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2024
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2024
The clapback from activist conservative judges and the financial service industry has been constant and severe.
—Pablo Manríquez, The New Republic, 18 Sep. 2023
This song is exactly what the title suggests: a sassy clapback to the haters with narcissism woven into every lyric.
—Louis Staples, Vulture, 23 June 2022
Never one to shy away from a clapback, Madonna first posted a lengthy Instagram caption on February 7 that lambasted the ageism and sexism at the root of the comments.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 21 Feb. 2023
Kahmora is quick with a clapback, and served up some quite memorable confessional moments.
—Paul McCallion, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2021
The designation, created by trans advocate Rachel Crandall of Transgender Michigan in 2010, started as a clapback to the limited coverage of trans people in media, and stories that were wholly focused on the violence trans people faced.
—Allison Hope, CNN, 31 Mar. 2023
Green quickly responded with an epic clapback.
—oregonlive, 9 June 2022
Look no further than Trump’s own response to DeSantis’s gentle clapback.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 23 Mar. 2023
Verb
Cavallari seemed to clap back at some of the online haters who have taken issue with their 13-year age difference.
—Kristina Behr, Parents, 2 Apr. 2024
Paris, 43, clapped back at the allegations in the comment section of the fan account @queensofbravo, which had shared the clip.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024
Nick Offerman put his acceptance speech to good use at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards, by clapping back at the homophobic backlash that followed his brief role in The Last of Us.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 26 Feb. 2024
Pro golfers Zach Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Billy Horschel clapped back at fans’ unruly behavior over the weekend at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2024
Superstars tend to ignore social media, but Durant not only responds, but will clap back.
—The Arizona Republic, 20 Jan. 2024
In the past, Eilish, who was most recently romantically linked to the Neighbourhood frontman Jesse Rutherford, has clapped back at speculation regarding her sexuality.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 3 Dec. 2023
Megan Fox is clapping back at critics who had negative things to say about her appearance during the 2024 Super Bowl weekend.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024
Following a slew of harsh criticism about Gen Z’s work ethic, the young generation is clapping back.
—Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2024
Noun
The clapback was swift, particularly from media outlets in Boston.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2024
The clapback from activist conservative judges and the financial service industry has been constant and severe.
—Pablo Manríquez, The New Republic, 18 Sep. 2023
This song is exactly what the title suggests: a sassy clapback to the haters with narcissism woven into every lyric.
—Louis Staples, Vulture, 23 June 2022
Never one to shy away from a clapback, Madonna first posted a lengthy Instagram caption on February 7 that lambasted the ageism and sexism at the root of the comments.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 21 Feb. 2023
Kahmora is quick with a clapback, and served up some quite memorable confessional moments.
—Paul McCallion, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2021
The designation, created by trans advocate Rachel Crandall of Transgender Michigan in 2010, started as a clapback to the limited coverage of trans people in media, and stories that were wholly focused on the violence trans people faced.
—Allison Hope, CNN, 31 Mar. 2023
Green quickly responded with an epic clapback.
—oregonlive, 9 June 2022
Look no further than Trump’s own response to DeSantis’s gentle clapback.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 23 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clap back.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near clap back
Cite this Entry
“Clap back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clap%20back. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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