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
Time and time again, courts have slapped down these strong-arm tactics that lack the force of law.
—
Bob Morgan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
The production runs for 2026 and 2027 are sold out, but future flyers can jump in the queue for the 2028 build now by slapping down a deposit of US$8,000.
—New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2025
And that’s the big ol’ marker general manager Adam Peters has slapped down on the table, a year-plus into his stint here.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for slap down
Bob Morgan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
The production runs for 2026 and 2027 are sold out, but future flyers can jump in the queue for the 2028 build now by slapping down a deposit of US$8,000.
—New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2025
And that’s the big ol’ marker general manager Adam Peters has slapped down on the table, a year-plus into his stint here.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for slap down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slap down
Verb
-
Critics worry that the buffer zones could be used to quell nonviolent demonstrations or criminalize free speech.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
-
While the emergency response quelled the threat of a violent explosion as of Monday night, 16,000 residents, largely from the city of Stanton, were still unable to return home until all evacuation orders were lifted Tuesday evening.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The program is a half-day, in-depth course to educate attendees on the principles used by firefighters in suppressing wildland fire and protecting structures in the Wildland Urban Interface, said workshop organizers.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
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Rather than suppress his value, that could make Clarke and agent Randy Robitaille more inclined to hunker down in negotiations.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
To even entertain a reality that absurd would require a faith in the American Dream blind enough to subdue the nightmare.—
Rodney Carmichael,
NPR,
3 June 2026
-
Viewers have already seen glimpses of the premiere, which involves Aang and Katara subduing a sea serpent while guiding refugees across a treacherous path.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The complaint alleges that during lunch, Barney’s students had to sit on the far side of the cafeteria, separated from the other kindergarten classes.—
Chaewon Chung
June 9,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
-
Tourists sit on a bollard at the Sydney Opera House.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
And that's important not just because movie theaters are communal spaces where audiences are, at least ostensibly, forced to put down their phones and other distractions.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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With the federal government insuring loans on 95 percent of the value of low-cost houses at the time, homebuyers had to put down only 5 percent—and that was waived for veterans.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slap down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slap%20down. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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