as in hitting
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
she playfully bopped him on the head
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of bopping
The heartwarming clip shared on Instagram in October under the username @introducing_hati, shows the Siberian husky/ German shepherd mix pup hanging out with the Koi fish in the pond at his grandpa’s house, gently bopping and petting them.
—
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
To watch Lipe-Smith’s Caroline cuddle in bed watching TV on her iPad, or bopping around to JoJo Siwa, or pensively finishing a Popsicle while sitting beside her grandmother at a museum, is to have the sheer malevolence of our current administration and its adherents thrown into sharp relief.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
Hope turned up on night two of the group’s DEADLINE world tour on July 6 at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, South Korea, bopping along to ROSÉ, LISA, JENNIE and JISOO from his seat.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2025
The guys' trademark move is bopping their heads in unison as the Haddaway hit plays throughout the sketch.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025
According to onlookers, the Wicked star was bopping along the entire set.
—Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
The first violins unfurl a lilting, lightly bopping tune in D minor.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The dance floor was filled with bopping fans as the opening band played Spanish rock.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
The Baltimore native has been bopping from city to city after the release of his 2023 debut, Erotic Probiotic 2, and spent most of his time last year on tour with Toro y Moi.
—Elise Brisco, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
To watch Lipe-Smith’s Caroline cuddle in bed watching TV on her iPad, or bopping around to JoJo Siwa, or pensively finishing a Popsicle while sitting beside her grandmother at a museum, is to have the sheer malevolence of our current administration and its adherents thrown into sharp relief.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
Hope turned up on night two of the group’s DEADLINE world tour on July 6 at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, South Korea, bopping along to ROSÉ, LISA, JENNIE and JISOO from his seat.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2025
The guys' trademark move is bopping their heads in unison as the Haddaway hit plays throughout the sketch.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025
According to onlookers, the Wicked star was bopping along the entire set.
—Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
The first violins unfurl a lilting, lightly bopping tune in D minor.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The dance floor was filled with bopping fans as the opening band played Spanish rock.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
The Baltimore native has been bopping from city to city after the release of his 2023 debut, Erotic Probiotic 2, and spent most of his time last year on tour with Toro y Moi.
—Elise Brisco, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bopping
Verb
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Gausman had retired 17 straight Dodger batters until the seventh inning, when Smith yet again got the best of him, hitting a solo home run to break the stale mate.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
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The singing voices behind KPop Demon Hunters' beloved girl group HUNTR/X will be hitting the stage to perform live in concert for the first time.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An arrest warrant has been issued for a high school football player accused of intentionally smacking one of his opponents on the head at their game, according to investigators in North Florida.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
5 Nov. 2025
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In the season four premiere of Mayor of Kingstown, co-creators/writers Hugh Dillon and Taylor Sheridan waste no time smacking viewers with a sense of doom and gloom.—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The van reaches home ground and no one talks and the only sound along that final stretch is El Camello slapping himself to scare away mosquitoes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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First, rather than slapping a latex mask and makeup on Schuster-Koloamatangi, performance capture technology is used to have Dek’s face come alive with the actor’s expressions.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The legendary Public Enemy rapper and dating show debutante served as the guest judge on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night, in which the eight remaining couples hit the floor with head-banging routines set to a litany of iconic anthems.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
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If someone does encounter a coyote, officials said to scare away the animal by yelling, using airhorns, banging pots and pans or throwing objects.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There were plenty of upsets, from Houston falling to West Virginia to SMU potentially knocking Miami out of the playoffs one week after the Mustangs lost to Wake Forest.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Nov. 2025
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Door knocking is an important part of campaigning, according to Jeff Lyons, an associate professor at Boise State University.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In 2023, when video circulated of a police officer punching Christina Pierre, Jennings announced meetings with community leaders to rework policy.—
Ryan Oehrli,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Oct. 2025
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Her past was practically punching its way out of her.—
Natalia Paradies,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Back in 1961, residents of Capitola woke up to find that hordes of black seabirds were slamming into cars, windows and people's homes and dying.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Ford said earlier that his province was spending $75 million to run ads in the United States slamming the impact of tariffs and featuring clips of Reagan.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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People hate on the Chiefs but here is the offense clapping along to a veteran being honored during their huddle.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
20 Oct. 2025
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The crowd in Santa Fe is a fun mix of old (opera) hats and first time attendees, and the crowd was engaged throughout the performance, clapping after a lot of the major numbers ended in a break from the tradition of waiting until the end of each act.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bopping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bopping. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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