slap down

verb

slapped down; slapping down; slaps down

transitive verb

1
: to prohibit or restrain usually abruptly and with censure from acting in a specified way : squelch
2
: to put an abrupt stop to : suppress

Examples of slap down in a Sentence

public protests against the dictatorial government were always promptly slapped down
Recent Examples on the Web Put your rubber mask on, girl, and slap down some real sound! Anne Carson, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024 Those who do have been repeatedly slapped down by the Supreme Court in opinions that further narrowed the grounds for federal review. Anat Rubin, ProPublica, 4 Nov. 2023 The Supreme Court on Tuesday slapped down Alabama Republicans’ latest attempt to use a congressional district map that only includes one majority-Black district, delivering a major blow in just one sentence. Tori Otten, The New Republic, 26 Sep. 2023 The effort has been slapped down as harmful by the leading international presswire outlet that refused to distribute a press release about it. Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2023 Watching cities and watersheds fending off new gas development bit by bit while corporations block a national fracking ban is like watching Wallace in Wallace & Gromit quickly slap down new toy train tracks underneath himself in a mad bid to stave off disaster. Nick Martin, The New Republic, 10 Mar. 2021 Ultimately, the Supreme Court slapped down a Biden-administration effort to extend the ban — which had no serious public-health basis. Howard Husock, National Review, 17 July 2023 Regardless, players will likely be building decks around these cards just to be able to slap down Optimus Prime for the win. Curtis Silver, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2022 Two-pound lamb chops, bathed in sweet marinade, were slapped down on the table. Ben McKenzie, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slap down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slap down was in 1842

Dictionary Entries Near slap down

Cite this Entry

“Slap down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slap%20down. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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