1
as in bang
a loud explosive sound
a clap of thunder that woke the whole house up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of clap
Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
His assessment of the project is correct in the sense that while the tracks all carry his signature take on the stomp-clap beat structure, the melodic content is vast and varied.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
As the credits rolled, the audience clapped politely.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clap
Noun
Clad in all black, James and the band cracked wise onstage with a brash, swashbuckling attitude, led constant clap-alongs, and took multiple sojourns into the crowd — and that was just during the first song.
—Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
His assessment of the project is correct in the sense that while the tracks all carry his signature take on the stomp-clap beat structure, the melodic content is vast and varied.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
As the duo looked up at the stage from the VIP section, Kravitz, 37, clapped and danced while sporting a black coat, dark sunglasses and a black baseball cap.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
As the credits rolled, the audience clapped politely.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clap
Noun
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Right now, the best bang for your buck is the Chase Sapphire Reserve (see rates and fees), which has an all-time-high offer of 150,000 points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.—
Kelsey Neubauer,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
-
Hesty is known among zoo staff and visitors for the long, swooping bangs that hang over her face.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Soon after, hearing the thump of ball on metal gate, Badri stepped outside to check if his message had been heeded.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Agents yelled from every direction, and the thumps of a news helicopter overhead were deafening.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Ripley slapped Jade, mid-pushup, then dumped Cargill to the outside.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Everton’s hopes of securing a first win at Old Trafford since 2013 seemed over when midfielder Idrissa Gueye was sent off in the 13th minute for slapping team-mate Michael Keane.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
The political horseshoe is bending around businesses benefitting from the AI boom.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
3 June 2026
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Bankrolling the boom were predominantly real-estate developers; by 2018, owners of all 16 top-flight clubs had stakes in the property market.—
Reagan Yip,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
Noun
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To pay for her medical bills, the family had to sell most of their remaining cattle and goats, a bitter blow after years of drought had already decimated local herds.—
Tommy Trenchard,
NPR,
31 May 2026
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This makes for a significant setback but not necessarily a fatal blow to the facility.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
The shot smacked off the front of the rim.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
-
Ben Williamson then smacked a ball to the right side that went off the glove of first baseman Spencer Torkelson, allowing Mullins and Fortes to score.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 June 2026
Noun
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Until Lopez’s blast, Texas A&M right-hander Clayton Freshcorn had slowed down a USC offense that had scored 48 runs combined while winning three consecutive games out of the losers’ bracket, including 14 on Sunday night against Texas A&M (41-16), to force the winner-take-all final.—
Jose de Jesus Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
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Machado’s property — a 32-acre site where the explosion occurred — was rendered useless in the blast, Fischer said.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Come summer, the house settles into a familiar rhythm—one marked by shade, conversation, and the soft thud of falling fruit.—
Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar,
Architectural Digest,
24 May 2026
-
Joe threw Ospreay into the barricade to the sound of a sickening thud.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clap. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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