as in smacking
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
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of bonking
Those misses rarely occurred in season two, but three episodes into this season, the bat is flying wildly around the stadium, bonking people in the head in a freak mass-casualty bat-event.
—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
Watch the baby birds bonking at the video at the top of the story.
—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
Watch the baby birds bonking at the video at the top of the story.
—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bonking
Verb
-
Deputies responded to a report of a driver smacking his car into a guardrail in front of The Bridge Restaurant before driving away, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
-
As the match got away from her in the second set and the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd became increasingly hostile, Andreeva fully unraveled, smacking another ball towards the roof and asking members of her box to leave.
Verb
-
Leveraged ETFs that aim to amplify SpaceX’s performance by providing double the returns (or losses) are already hitting the market.
-
Ahead of the impending heat wave hitting the Pittsburgh area, Allegheny County officials have activated a Code Red Heat Advisory for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Verb
-
The Atlas Lions made the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, breaking through the glass ceiling that CAF teams had been banging their heads on for decades at the quarter-final stage.
-
While the cameras were rolling, Spielberg would stand just out of frame with two wooden bats, banging them together to startle her.
Verb
-
The refs started handing out technical fouls like free samples, slapping Thomas and Hines-Allen with a double technical.
-
Prosecutors dropped all charges against a bouncer for allegedly slapping a bar patron in February.
Verb
-
And take the Exit Readiness Quiz to understand exactly where the gaps are before any business buyer comes knocking.
-
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
Verb
-
Cape Verde is not punching above its weight on heart.
-
Court records reveal he was subsequently arrested for throwing a rock at people, and later for punching someone else.
Verb
-
An on-and-off again rivalry during the primary The two men shared a similar message during the primary, slamming Democrats for mismanaging the state and calling for tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks.
-
Also in 2007, Spencer was sentenced concurrently to seven years in prison for choking a woman, slamming her head to the ground, and robbing her of her cellphone, and for smashing into a woman's car and ransacking it, prosecutors said.
Verb
-
Larry Hayes, 86, and Bill Moniz, 79, hit the tennis courts in Mountain View three to four times a week — whacking balls across the net as teammates for one to three hours a week.
-
And the crowd clearly expected that pucks whacking the nets would be at a premium in this series, too.
Cite this Entry
“Bonking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bonking. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
