slapped; slapping
1
a
: to strike sharply with or as if with the open hand
b
: to cause to strike with a motion or sound like that of a blow with the open hand
2
: to put, place, or throw with careless haste or force
slapped on a coat of paint
3
: to subject to a penalty
—usually used with with
slapped him with a $10 fine
4
: to assail verbally : insult
Examples of slap in a Sentence
Verb
She slapped him across the face.
He slapped me on the back and said “Good job!”.
He called the dog by slapping his hand against his thigh.
Waves were slapping against the side of the boat.
Gentle waves slapped the side of the raft.
doctors used to give newborns a light slap to get them to start breathing
that comment is a slap to anyone who has ever served in the military
Adverb
I walked slap into the post.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
The White House could also slap sanctions against third countries that buy Russian oil from any source.
—Daniel Fried, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
There are heated confrontations and a slap, and Alma ruins her shot at tenure after stealing a colleague's prescription pad to get more pain meds.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slap
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Verb
Top with more crushed ice and garnish with a couple mint sprigs, slapped to release their aromas.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
The White House could also slap sanctions against third countries that buy Russian oil from any source.
—Daniel Fried, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
That included two stellar stops in the waning seconds of the third with Carolina on the power play, rebuffing a slap shot and then blocking the rebound with his leg pad.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
There are heated confrontations and a slap, and Alma ruins her shot at tenure after stealing a colleague's prescription pad to get more pain meds.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slap
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Cite this Entry
“Slap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slap. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
slap
1 of 3 noun1
: a quick sharp blow especially with the open hand
2
: a noise like that of a slap
slap
2 of 3 verb
slapped; slapping
1
a
: to strike with or as if with the open hand
b
: to make a sound like that of slapping
2
: to put, place, or throw with careless haste or force
slapped the book down on the desk
slap
3 of 3 adverbLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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