SLAP DOWN Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

slap down

verb

Definition of slap down

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 slap down As lawyers crowded in, Reddington could be seen slapping down a sheaf of papers. — Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 The majority also slapped down his global tariffs, finding that only Congress had the authority to impose them. — Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026 Today the Supreme Court slapped down the move made by a federal appeals court last year to overturn Hernandez's conviction. — Alex Nitzberg, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026 Right away, he got slapped down by the Revolutionary Guard. — NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slap down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slap down

Verb

The plastics industry began placing it on its products in the 1980s to quell public outrage over plastic pollution.

— Lisa Song, ProPublica, 29 Oct. 2026
To quell concerns, the band posted an explanation on their social media channels.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of quell

Verb

Four commissioners sit on the Tarrant County Commissioners Court along with the county judge as the governing body of the county.

— Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026
As drawn, the hotel and the grocer sit on the traffic-heavy south side of the plot, shielding a public lawn and green space from cars and a parking lot.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of sit on

Verb

None of this means mental illness can be solved by telling a struggling young person to put down their phone, join a club or get more sleep.

— Roxanne Prichard, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
But its rise is sometimes put down to an online meme—an aversion to holes had a moment on the mid-2000s Internet.

— Gabriela Galvin, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of put down

Browse Nearby Words

slapdash

slap down

slaphappy

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Slap down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slap%20down. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of slap down

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

effrontery

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes