smackdown
noun
smack·down
ˈsmak-ˌdau̇n 
1
: the act of knocking down or bringing down an opponent
2
: a contest in entertainment wrestling
3
: a decisive defeat
4
: a confrontation between rivals or competitors
Examples of smackdown in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The two singers with the least number of votes, facing off in a smackdown to determine who would be unmasked, were Cuddle Monster and Anteater (in the bottom two for the second week in a row).
—
Michael Schneider, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
The two singers with the least number of votes, facing off in a smackdown to determine who would be unmasked, were Tiki and Hawk.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 25 Oct. 2023
The two singers with the least number of votes, facing off in a smackdown to determine who would be unmasked, were Royal Hen and Hawk.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 18 Oct. 2023
Disguised as a suited Royal Hen, the former world No. 1 tennis player Billie Jean King lost in a final smackdown against masked contestant Hawk.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2023
The smackdowns were somewhat muted, though, in festivals nearly entirely devoid of movie stars, who are holding the line in the historic dual strike of the writers and screen actors guilds.
—Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2023
The altercation quickly escalated into a public smackdown.
—Rebecca Rosenberg, Fox News, 2 June 2023
The billionaire social media smackdown is about to get real.
—Geoffrey A. Fowler and Naomi Nix, Anchorage Daily News, 6 July 2023
And don't forget, head coach Robert Saleh had last year's NYJ edition at 7-4 – including a 27-10 smackdown of the Packers at Lambeau Field on Oct. 16 – after Week 12 and in the thick of the AFC playoff race.
—Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2023
See More
Michael Schneider, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
The two singers with the least number of votes, facing off in a smackdown to determine who would be unmasked, were Tiki and Hawk.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 25 Oct. 2023
The two singers with the least number of votes, facing off in a smackdown to determine who would be unmasked, were Royal Hen and Hawk.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 18 Oct. 2023
Disguised as a suited Royal Hen, the former world No. 1 tennis player Billie Jean King lost in a final smackdown against masked contestant Hawk.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2023
The smackdowns were somewhat muted, though, in festivals nearly entirely devoid of movie stars, who are holding the line in the historic dual strike of the writers and screen actors guilds.
—Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2023
The altercation quickly escalated into a public smackdown.
—Rebecca Rosenberg, Fox News, 2 June 2023
The billionaire social media smackdown is about to get real.
—Geoffrey A. Fowler and Naomi Nix, Anchorage Daily News, 6 July 2023
And don't forget, head coach Robert Saleh had last year's NYJ edition at 7-4 – including a 27-10 smackdown of the Packers at Lambeau Field on Oct. 16 – after Week 12 and in the thick of the AFC playoff race.
—Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smackdown.' 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
1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near smackdown
Cite this Entry
“Smackdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smackdown. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share