1
as in bang
a loud explosive sound
a clap of thunder that woke the whole house up
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in thump
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
a sharp clap to the head of the disrespectful youth
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to slap
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
clapped him on the back as a friendly gesture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of clap
Clarissa Brincat, Parents, 29 Jan. 2026
However, the idea for clap skates notably dates back to the 19th century, Maw points out, and just languished until an engineer finally found the right materials and design adjustments to make the concept work.
—Mark Hay, Popular Science, 28 Jan. 2026
CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Members danced and clapped and lifted their arms in prayer.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clap
Noun
Babies benefit most when parents actively sing, clap, and make music with them.
—Clarissa Brincat, Parents, 29 Jan. 2026
However, the idea for clap skates notably dates back to the 19th century, Maw points out, and just languished until an engineer finally found the right materials and design adjustments to make the concept work.
—Mark Hay, Popular Science, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
Rybakina clapped her left hand on the strings of her racket and held her arm up to the crowd triumphantly.
—CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Members danced and clapped and lifted their arms in prayer.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clap
Noun
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With the bang of a gong, over 30,000 elite and amateur runners take to the streets, competing in a marathon, half marathon and 5k.—
Aaron E Martinez,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Feb. 2026
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This cut has the coolness of a long, rock-and-roll shag, but floatier layers and romantic, face-framing pieces, or curtain bangs, to bring it into 2026.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Pitchers and catchers report This week, Albernaz gets a glimpse of his pitching staff and catchers, before the thump of an offensive lineup joins the workouts.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
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For what felt like an eternity — but was really 20 minutes — the whole place was enveloped in an eerie silence, the only sound being the steady thump of techno-pop playing through the loudspeakers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Grahovac was hit on the first pitch of the day, and Sorell slapped a single through right field to give A&M two runners with no outs.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Beware of the word ‘spread’ slapped across anything passing itself off as pimento cheese.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Paul, who began unboxing Pokémon cards on video during the COVID-19 pandemic, is often credited with helping propel the boom.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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Soaring demand from new data centers, especially to chase the artificial intelligence boom, has raised the cost of ensuring adequate energy supplies.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Now there’s clear animosity between the teams, which is intriguing for the casual viewer but a blow to the curling community.—
Julia Frankel,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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In an attempt to cushion this blow, Congress created a $50-billion Rural Health Transformation Project.—
Ana B. Ibarra,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Within seconds, Perez smacked a cellphone out of the man's hand, swung at his head and tackled him to the ground.—
Sheridan Hendrix,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
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But tens of thousands of films are made each year, and quite a few of them break the rules, defy conventional narrative expectations and smack us deep in our souls.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The military said nearby civilian homes were also heavily damaged in the blast, killing a young girl and wounding seven other civilians, including women and children.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
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The blast was thunderous, swallowing the place.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Muffled thuds are heard, and the crying stops.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Sidney Crosby was silent, Evgeni Malkin’s misplay led to a goal and Erik Karlsson was responsible for two other goals against as the Penguins saw their six-game winning streak end with a thud in a 3-2 setback against the Ottawa Senators on Monday at PPG Paints Arena.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clap. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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