whack

1 of 2

verb

whacked; whacking; whacks

transitive verb

1
a
: to strike with a smart or resounding blow
whack the ball
b
: to cut with or as if with a whack : chop
2
chiefly British : to get the better of : defeat
3
slang : murder, kill

intransitive verb

: to strike a smart or resounding blow
whacker noun

whack

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a smart or resounding blow
also : the sound of or as if of such a blow
b
: a critical attack
2
3
4
a
: an opportunity or attempt to do something
take a whack at it
b
: a single action or occasion
borrowed $50 all at one whack
Phrases
out of whack
1
: out of proper order or shape
threw his knee out of whack
2
: not in accord
feeling out of whack with her contemporariesS. E. Rubin

Examples of whack in a Sentence

Verb She whacked the piñata with a stick. The old man lifted his cane and whacked the mugger on the head. They were whacking through the jungle with their machetes. He got whacked by mobsters. Noun The pile of books hit the floor with a whack. took a whack at solving the math problem
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Supporters argue that the bonds are necessary because the state recently whacked about $10 billion in spending on environmental programs. Andre Mouchard, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024 Start with a round of salty-good Ibérico ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano whacked into hunks, a playful cippolini onion dip with potato chips and a lovely plate of filleted anchovies scattered with hazelnuts and laid over tarragon-forward salsa verde. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2024
Noun
His swing was completely out of whack when the Phillies needed it most. Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024 Even amid injuries to a whole whack of forwards, his ice-time hasn’t gone up. Jonas Siegel, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for whack 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably imitative of the sound of a blow

First Known Use

Verb

1719, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of whack was in 1719

Dictionary Entries Near whack

Cite this Entry

“Whack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whack. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

whack

1 of 2 verb
ˈhwak How to pronounce whack (audio)
ˈwak
: to hit or cut with a hard noisy blow
whacked the ball into left field
whacker noun

whack

2 of 2 noun
1
: a hard noisy blow
also : its sound
2
: try entry 2, attempt
take a whack at it

More from Merriam-Webster on whack

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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