1
as in bangs
a loud explosive sound
a clap of thunder that woke the whole house up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of claps
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
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
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
The latest in what appears to be an unending stream of storms thundered through the Bay Area on Tuesday, producing violent claps of thunder and lightning bright enough to light up momentarily the gray and sometimes dark sky.
—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
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
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
-
Once it’s finished, Edgar-Jones clues us in to her absolutely perfect bangs.—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
3 Mar. 2026
-
That might be as simple as adding wispy bangs to take your haircut or investing in a new blowout tool to meet the '90s nostalgia moment.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, neighbors can still hear the thumps.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Nahill is even featured in a video, indulgently attempting to snack on a donut, before Tyson, now a de facto spokesperson for HHS’ healthy foods initiatives, slaps it out of his hand.—
Chelsea Cirruzzo,
STAT,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Is this violence different from the time in her childhood when Irene slaps her?—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Crews say nothing got past the booms.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Workers installed protective booms to shield intake valves at major plants, especially the one that supplies much of Riyadh’s water.—
Michael Christopher Low,
The Conversation,
5 Mar. 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
-
These are not knocks on Miami of Ohio.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Opportunity knocks when an aspiring video game designer (Myles Erlick) is given a time-stopping device by his friend (Sean Astin), the eccentric owner of a toy store.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As blasts and gunfire rocked Kabul on Sunday, analysts said there is still room for escalation and no clear off-ramp.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The blasts are now so frequent that state media no longer reports each one.—
Matt Nighswander,
NBC news,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But amid the coronation for their crosstown rival, Gottlieb was looking for anything that told her this Trojans team could take some punches and also give some back in March.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
-
In addition, it will be designed to deliver long-range missile punches instead of engaging in dogfights.—
David Szondy
March 01,
New Atlas,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Claps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/claps. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
