1
as in bangs
a loud explosive sound
a clap of thunder that woke the whole house up
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in thumps
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 slaps
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 claps
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
Oscar-winning composer Daniel Blumberg was tasked with layering in claps, stomps and screams.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
Listeners replied with claps and exclamations of eager agreement.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
Some quarterbacks will inform their center that the plan is to snap the ball on two claps or sometimes even three.
—Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
The joyous screams and claps of hundreds of high school students boomed outside the sanctuary at Murewa Centre Mission of the United Methodist Church.
—Liam Adams, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2025
Owen Wilson’s Stick has been renewed for a second season; the news was likely received to just mild golf claps among the online golfing community.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2025
Bounces reporter Ben Rothenberg noted that the president received some claps as well.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
However, videos of a booing crowd with a few claps quickly made it to social media.
—Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 2 Dec. 2025
Legacy is made from the small, repeatable disciplines no one claps for, but everyone benefits from.
—Cody Bjugan, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
And a couple claps their way through Swift's discography.
—Bryan West, The Tennessean, 8 Aug. 2025
Koko yelps and claps in surprise.
—David Cavell, Time, 6 Aug. 2025
Green claps along, and is visibly impressed when Freeman hits that signature high note.
—Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2025
Detroit Pistons team owner Tom Gores claps during the press conference on July 30, 2021 at the Pistons Performance Center in Detroit, Michigan.
—Michael Ozanian, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2024
When the camera zooms in on Haines, the gnat can be seen buzzing around above her head (as evidenced in Entertainment Weekly's extremely serious investigative photos below) before Goldberg launches her military action and claps her hands while Haines speaks.
—EW.com, 3 Oct. 2024
As the crowd claps, Robert stares at Yas.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 29 Sep. 2024
Noun
Lots of claps all around, as production in the area is still down significantly over five-year averages.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
Oscar-winning composer Daniel Blumberg was tasked with layering in claps, stomps and screams.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
Listeners replied with claps and exclamations of eager agreement.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
Some quarterbacks will inform their center that the plan is to snap the ball on two claps or sometimes even three.
—Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
The joyous screams and claps of hundreds of high school students boomed outside the sanctuary at Murewa Centre Mission of the United Methodist Church.
—Liam Adams, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2025
Owen Wilson’s Stick has been renewed for a second season; the news was likely received to just mild golf claps among the online golfing community.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2025
Bounces reporter Ben Rothenberg noted that the president received some claps as well.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
However, videos of a booing crowd with a few claps quickly made it to social media.
—Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
Poor Indigenous, Black, the people from the favelas, when the police go there and kill 120 people there, and the population basically claps and thinks that that’s great.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 2 Dec. 2025
Legacy is made from the small, repeatable disciplines no one claps for, but everyone benefits from.
—Cody Bjugan, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
And a couple claps their way through Swift's discography.
—Bryan West, The Tennessean, 8 Aug. 2025
Koko yelps and claps in surprise.
—David Cavell, Time, 6 Aug. 2025
Green claps along, and is visibly impressed when Freeman hits that signature high note.
—Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2025
Detroit Pistons team owner Tom Gores claps during the press conference on July 30, 2021 at the Pistons Performance Center in Detroit, Michigan.
—Michael Ozanian, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2024
When the camera zooms in on Haines, the gnat can be seen buzzing around above her head (as evidenced in Entertainment Weekly's extremely serious investigative photos below) before Goldberg launches her military action and claps her hands while Haines speaks.
—EW.com, 3 Oct. 2024
As the crowd claps, Robert stares at Yas.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 29 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for claps
Noun
-
Monica Monica tapped Ricky Wing to slick her hair in a high ponytail and trim micro bangs just above her brows.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Olivia Wilde looked so different debuting a golden-blonde mullet with fluffy bangs.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, neighbors can still hear the thumps.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Boston Blue slaps a fresh coat of paint on Blue Bloods, the CBS procedural that ended its 14-season run last year.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Dec. 2025
-
Speaking with Cocoa Butter about her most memorable roles, Calloway revealed that the moment Ike slaps Jackie came across so emotional and raw because the stunt went wrong.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
5 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Throughout its 17 years, bitcoin has been defined by cycles—booms and busts that are sometimes explicable and sometimes not.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
National economies are increasingly moving in sync and responding to the same booms and busts as a result of near-instantaneous communications and interdependent global supply chains.—
Josh Ederington,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Muffled thuds are heard, and the crying stops.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
At about two this morning, the familiar howl of air-raid sirens woke me in the center of Kyiv, followed by the low thuds of anti-aircraft cannons attempting to shoot down Russian drones.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Opportunity knocks on software stocks, including Microsoft (MSFT), Salesforce (CRM), and ServiceNow (NOW), which all got slammed in Thursday's trading amid pressure on the software sector ETF (IGV) from artificial intelligence (AI) disruption concerns.—
Jeff Kilburg,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Julio Cesar Chavez suffers his first loss in 91 fights when Frankie Randall knocks him down in the 11th round and wins the WBC super lightweight championship on a split decision.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This winter, these Arctic blasts seem relentless for much of the nation east of the Rockies.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Drop hammers, trucks with vibrating baseplates, and dynamite blasts send seismic waves through the Earth’s subsurface to a grid of geophones.—
Lauren Steele,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Only invite friends and relatives who are willing to discuss Bill Belichick and Tom Brady without punches being thrown.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
From that moment forward, the two Bay State Conference foes traded punches throughout, exchanging one run after the next.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Claps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/claps. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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