as in to quell
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
public protests against the dictatorial government were always promptly slapped down
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Recent Examples of slap down
But his vague inferences have been easily slapped down with clear details about prices not being met and no promises being made.
—
Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
In the weeks leading up to the April 1 election, officials, including Tinley Park fire Chief Steve Klotz, had to slap down persistent rumors the Tinley and Orland fire agencies were studying a merger of operations.
—Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025
That's the same thing that Alabama did after the 2020 Census, only to be slapped down by the Supreme Court two years ago when a narrow court majority ruled that the state had illegally diluted the Black vote in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 27 June 2025
Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration opened a new front in its war against Harvard this week, attempting to block all international students from attending the university — and swiftly getting slapped down by a federal judge.
—Cameron Peters, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for slap down
Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
In the weeks leading up to the April 1 election, officials, including Tinley Park fire Chief Steve Klotz, had to slap down persistent rumors the Tinley and Orland fire agencies were studying a merger of operations.
—Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025
That's the same thing that Alabama did after the 2020 Census, only to be slapped down by the Supreme Court two years ago when a narrow court majority ruled that the state had illegally diluted the Black vote in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 27 June 2025
Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration opened a new front in its war against Harvard this week, attempting to block all international students from attending the university — and swiftly getting slapped down by a federal judge.
—Cameron Peters, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for slap down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slap down
Verb
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Los Angeles police officers were hit with fireworks and bottles during street celebrations after the Dodgers World Series win late Saturday, prompting police to authorize the use of tear gas to quell the chaos.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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None of the measures have quelled the public outcry.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The weight-loss drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs, or GLP-1s, suppress the appetite of users, leading to weight loss.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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The experimental once-weekly drug, eloralintide, belongs to the class of drugs that mimic the pancreatic hormone amylin which slows digestion and suppresses hunger.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Those trends have created a new equilibrium that are keeping a lid on unemployment even as hiring stays subdued.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
3 Nov. 2025
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Mike Vrabel’s celebration was subdued, one befitting of the way this game ended, a tougher, more stressful challenge than the five consecutive wins that preceded it.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov told Russian media on Saturday that Kim will sit on Xi's left side during Wednesday's parade, with Putin in the place of honor on the right.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
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Tabletop This style is small enough to sit on your dining table, a dresser or other prominent display area in your home.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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From Athens to Tuscaloosa, from Oxford to Starkville, Mississippi, alums are putting down roots in their college towns long after graduation.—
Christina Daves,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
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Brutally put down by Maduro’s thuggish regime, that protest movement gave way to a mass exodus.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slap down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slap%20down. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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