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
Miami Herald, 19 May 2026
There was no standing ovation, only a few sporadic claps mixed in with folks cheering for Fitzpatrick.
—Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
That’ll be the stormiest period of the weekend, with gusts up to 40 mph and potentially more claps of thunder.
—Anthony Edwards, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026
Tears flowed, and the audience held space for grief, offering supportive claps and chants.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Thunder claps rumbled like explosions, shook homes and sent animals scattering for safe cover.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
These were claps of relief and encouragement from a European audience bracing for a mauling like JD Vance’s onslaught last year.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
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
Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
His climber fails to get Camper Kyle to the ground in time, but Bauer claps enthusiastically.
—Calin Van Paris, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026
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
Audience member Najla Abdel Rahman Abbas claps along to the music, her face showing both sorrow and exuberance.
—Intessar Fadl Allah, Christian Science Monitor, 18 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
Noun
Other players, especially the younger players and newcomers, did head over toward La Familia and give them waves and claps.
—Miami Herald, 19 May 2026
There was no standing ovation, only a few sporadic claps mixed in with folks cheering for Fitzpatrick.
—Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
That’ll be the stormiest period of the weekend, with gusts up to 40 mph and potentially more claps of thunder.
—Anthony Edwards, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026
Tears flowed, and the audience held space for grief, offering supportive claps and chants.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Thunder claps rumbled like explosions, shook homes and sent animals scattering for safe cover.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
These were claps of relief and encouragement from a European audience bracing for a mauling like JD Vance’s onslaught last year.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
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
Verb
Anderson stops at second base, claps his hands four times, then stands there quietly.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
His climber fails to get Camper Kyle to the ground in time, but Bauer claps enthusiastically.
—Calin Van Paris, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026
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
Audience member Najla Abdel Rahman Abbas claps along to the music, her face showing both sorrow and exuberance.
—Intessar Fadl Allah, Christian Science Monitor, 18 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for claps
Noun
-
Swift wore her blonde hair long and straight, with her signature bangs falling across her forehead.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
-
Medical equipment caroms off the walls, bangs toward their father.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
You’ll be thrown around in your seat, which moves in sync with the action, along with thumps in the back, splashes of water, blasts of air, smoke, and flashes of light.—
Benny Har-Even,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2026
-
In Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, neighbors can still hear the thumps.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That direct relationship is what separates a true farm to table operation from a restaurant that simply slaps the phrase on a marketing page.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
22 May 2026
-
Anderson slaps his hit down the right field line, just fair.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
On Saturday, an oil sheen was observed near the PCH bridge, so crews placed oil-absorbing booms at multiple points along the river, including Willow Street, PCH, Ocean Blvd and the approach to Golden Shore.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
27 May 2026
-
Oil-absorbing booms were deployed at multiple points along the waterway, including at PCH, Willow Street and Ocean Boulevard.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
Rapp, up on Taft Point, heard two thuds.—
Nick Paumgarten,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Likewise, the score by Tony Doogan leans too heavily on generic electronic thuds, the kind that segue into a commercial break cliffhanger and an ad for blood pressure medicine.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And that's when a shot blasts through the door and knocks Lena to the ground.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
-
Hudson showed some subtle support for the jesting knocks to her boyfriend by reposting a clip of his final joke shared on Fox News' official X page.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Fires continued to rage into the morning, complicating rescue efforts, as buildings collapsed from the blasts.—
Samya Kullab,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
-
Fires continued to rage into the morning, complicating rescue efforts as buildings collapsed from the blasts.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Rhodes peppered Gunther with punches, a bionic elbow and a Pedigree for a nearfall.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Stockstill was throwing punches, but not connecting.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Claps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/claps. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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