slam 1 of 2

verb

ˈslam How to pronounce slam (audio)
Definition of slamnext
1
as in to shut
to shove into a closed position with force and noise please don't slam the door every time you step out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to knock
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner she slammed the ball deep into center field

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to bump
to come into usually forceful contact with something the car slammed into the wall with a fearful crunch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly slammed the cast members for forgetting their lines on opening night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slam

2 of 2

noun

1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument gave the stubborn nail one last slam with the hammer

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in bang
a loud explosive sound shut the door with a loud slam

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody sported a gang tattoo on his arm that had gotten him plenty of respect in the slam

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in collision
a forceful coming together of two things the sudden slam of my head against the trunk of the car

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 slam
Verb
Prosecutors say that the driver involved in that crash allegedly ran a red light while driving under the influence, slamming into a Metro bus, killing two passengers. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 The delicious potential to slam the door on the series with two wins. — Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
Right outside, at the intersection in front of Ash’s office, a yellow convertible slams into a black sedan, spinning to a halt in a cloud of smoke. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026 The result brought out lookie-loos, amateur videographers and anxious residents to witness wave after punishing wave slam into the wooden boardwalk, breaking it apart in places and sending plumes of salt water three stories high. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slam
  1. shut
  2. knock
  3. bump
  4. attack
  5. blow
  6. bang
  7. jail
  8. collision
Verb
  • The potential victims all have to get into their coffin, which is then shut.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Israel had threatened to shut the facility down completely in a dispute over British sanctions barring the import of goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
    — Dov Lieber, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of shut
Verb
  • The fans were ready to rock, but the Guardians knocked the Sox on their backs.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The 22-year-old emerged from the woods Wednesday evening after a six-day disappearance and knocked on the driver’s side window of a search-and-rescue cruiser.
    — Angie Orellana Hernandez, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of knock
Verb
  • Being bumped to a relief role required some selflessness from Seymour and Jax — both of whom began the season in the bullpen and were transitioned to the rotation.
    — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Cooper went from the active roster to getting bumped down to the practice squad and now off the team entirely in a matter of about 10 days.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of bump
Verb
  • Talarico has attacked Ken Paxton over his long list of scandals in several campaign ads.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Saudi authorities later said King Fahd International Airport in Dammam also had been attacked, with few details.
    — SAMY MAGDY, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • For now, better wheat and barley crops in Canada, Australia and Argentina, along with good harvests in the Middle East and North Africa, are cushioning the blow.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Then, after weeks of sit-ins and marches, Dharmendra Pradhan, the education minister, stepped down, a rare blow to Modi’s government, and one that more established opposition parties had been unable to land.
    — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of blow
Noun
  • On the other hand, those whiz-bang AI agents could simply shift companies’ existing software spending rather than actually grow it as hoped.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
  • For a look that’s less voluminous and shaggy, leave the layering until a point just past your bangs at about chin length.
    — Lorena Meouchi, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of bang
Noun
  • As an alternative to jail time, the federal prosecutors suggested a year of probation, 100 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.
    — Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
  • With O’Hare at the helm, the county has redistricted, gone from meeting four times to once a month, privatized rent and utility assistance, reduced the number of polling locations, and seen a steady stream of jail inmate deaths continue.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of jail
Noun
  • Diesel prices have skyrocketed due to a collision of events, including the difficulty of getting oil out of the Middle East since the start of the Iran war, which has raised the price of all oil products.
    — Matthew Daly, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • That collision is ultimately the defining moment of the work.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of collision

Phrases Containing slam

Browse Nearby Words

slaloms
slam
slam-bang
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slam. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All