1
—used to express a sound made by or as if by a gun
2
—used to indicate a sudden or instantaneous occurrence
zapped; zapping; zaps
1
a
: to get rid of, destroy, or kill especially with or as if with sudden force
b
: to hit with or as if with a sudden concentrated application of force or energy
c
: to irradiate especially with microwaves
2
a
: to propel suddenly or speedily
b
: to transport instantaneously
3
: to avoid watching (something, such as a television commercial) by changing channels especially with a remote control or by fast-forwarding
1
: to move with speed or force
2
: to change television channels using a remote control
Examples of zap in a Sentence
Verb
The flowers were zapped by the cold weather.
The aliens in the movie zapped people from spaceships.
She reheated her muffin by zapping it in the microwave for a few seconds.
I zapped through the channels for a while before falling asleep.
We tape the show so we can zap through the commercials.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
The injury zapped his effectiveness and left him scrambling to maintain his optimal level of production.
—Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2025
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Skip the office microwave All that stands between you and a hot, homemade lunch is a zap in the microwave.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zap
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Verb
For some irony, given the licensing deal with Netflix, Korvo and Terry announce that the Solar Opposites are broke, with all of their moneymaking machines zapped.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
The injury zapped his effectiveness and left him scrambling to maintain his optimal level of production.
—Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
Who’s messing with the lights and filling the air with menacing rumbles and zaps?
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Skip the office microwave All that stands between you and a hot, homemade lunch is a zap in the microwave.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zap
Cite this Entry
“Zap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zap. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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