as in smacked
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
an overhead branch suddenly fell and bonked him on the head
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bonked
Their fight is to be continued next week, and whether or not another member of the deck team gets bonked on the head remains to be determined.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bonked
Verb
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The group has smacked around quarterbacks, tackled well and dominated most key areas but hasn’t taken the ball away like an elite defense.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
4 Jan. 2026
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We’re getting smacked around by teams by 30, 40 points.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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White egrets stood in the shallows, a woodpecker knocked somewhere nearby, and pairs of green parrots flew upstream, beating their wings in time.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
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He was eventually knocked free of the vehicle, and suffered significant lacerations that required 33 stitches, the official said.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Dostal blocked Hughes’ slap shot from the point, but Kaprizov banged a shot past Dostal after a scramble in front of the net for his 24th goal.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2026
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Dostal blocked Hughes' slap shot from the point, but Kaprizov banged a shot past Dostal after a scramble in front of the net for his 24th goal.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Five players were booked during their defeat to Cameroon, including Foster, who slapped the linesman’s hand twice and screamed in his face in frustration over a decision.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Its tail slapped the surface of the water, marking la paiche’s territory.—
Noah Lederman,
Robb Report,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Iowa then got three good looks from the three-point line in the final seconds but couldn't hit the tying shot.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Jan. 2026
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Despite their franchise history dating back to the mid-70s (via Kansas City and Colorado), which includes essentially all of the highest-scoring era in league history, the New Jersey Devils have never had a player hit either of the game’s most basic offensive milestones.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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With a merciless 56-22 thumping of Oregon in the Peach Bowl, the Hoosiers punched their ticket to their first national championship game appearance in program history.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
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Jenkins brutally stomped and punched Coto, who was severely injured and put on life support.—
Tony Aiello,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Wilson slammed Homeland Security officials for the shooting that came a day after a woman was fatally shot by immigration agents in Minneapolis.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
9 Jan. 2026
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Many Democrats have slammed the administration's conclusions, arguing that the video does not appear to show the woman trying to hit officers.—
Maggie Vespa,
NBC news,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rasmus Dahlin and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen weren’t on the same page playing a puck behind the net, and Mavrik Bourque whacked a rebound in with Dahlin as the closest Sabre in coverage.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
1 Jan. 2026
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The head-to-head results — SDSU smacked Fresno State, and FSU whacked Boise State — clearly indicate the Broncos are slotted in the right place.—
Jon Wilner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bonked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bonked. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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