as in slaps
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bonks
Verb
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Anderson slaps his hit down the right field line, just fair.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026 -
At the end of the night, during the bows, Butler slaps the guys playing her two antagonists gently on their butts, a gesture that would have jarred in most stagings but fully in keeping with the inclusive, humanistic vibe of this production.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At that house, no one answered a Statesman reporter’s knocks on Monday, but Davidson told the Statesman that his family owns the whole lot.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Apr. 2026
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For one thing, precedent says that Waddle’s production this fall should, health permitting (knocks on wood), just about double whatever numbers Cooper puts out as a rookie for the J-E-T-S in 2026.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The boy smacks him in the mouth and then immediately starts crying.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
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An attack rears its ugly head, and the security team smacks it down.—
Neil J. Rubenking,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Teal'c takes out some frustrations on an unlucky grunt who bangs him with a door at the start of every time loop, and O'Neill gets to (temporarily) sample the will-they side of his will-they-won't-they relationship with Carter.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Gagen, who hits left-handed, started the season setting but moved to full-time hitting.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
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Jackson’s hits compilation Number Ones is at Number 13, the Michael soundtrack is at Number 37, and The Essential Michael Jackson is at Number 158.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
6 May 2026
Verb
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With runners on the corners, Martinez whacks a two-run, RBI double to tie it at five.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Mar. 2026
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Then little Holly Wheeler and her 10-year-old friends, including the Season 5 favorite Derek (Jake Connelly), all swarm into the basement and take over the D&D table in a passing of the torch that basically whacks the audience over our collective heads.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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In other words, automatic registration slams the courthouse door on women, but not on men, because registration is its own injury.—
Wendy Murphy,
Boston Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
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In the standard picture, particles gain energy at a termination shock, where the pulsar wind slams into surrounding material.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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David then rushes forward and punches Niemi in the back of the head at least twice, according to the video.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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Malcolm Arnold’s 2,000-square-foot business, Apple Core Electronics, on Flushing Avenue in Bushwick makes exterior intercom panels, sets their wiring, punches buttons and engraves addresses.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bonks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bonks. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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