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
The politics of the remote voting proposal shifted dramatically Thursday when Trump effectively sided with Luna and slapped down Johnson.
—
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2025
Both were affected by Murray showing physical resistance and slapping down at the ball as Brown went into his shot.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Mar. 2025
Rose has mortgaged her house and slapped down $25,000 Euros to be treated at a clinic run by Dr. Gomez (Vincent Perez), whose methods lean more into analysis than medicine.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
That number was tallied after a federal judge in Massachusetts slapped down a lawsuit brought by unions challenging the program.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slap down
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2025
Both were affected by Murray showing physical resistance and slapping down at the ball as Brown went into his shot.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Mar. 2025
Rose has mortgaged her house and slapped down $25,000 Euros to be treated at a clinic run by Dr. Gomez (Vincent Perez), whose methods lean more into analysis than medicine.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
That number was tallied after a federal judge in Massachusetts slapped down a lawsuit brought by unions challenging the program.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slap down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slap down
Verb
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It’s also infused with aloe and calendula extracts, which are soothing to skin and help quell redness.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
15 May 2025
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Several protesters were injured, some of them critically, by Flash-balls fired by riot police, or by cops sent out to quell demonstrations that were growing increasingly unwieldy.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Orwell authored 1984, a bleak vision of the future where an authoritarian regime weaponizes language to suppress independent thought and rewrite history.—
Jason Snyder,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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However, consistent, long-term stress can wear down your immune system, exposing you to inflammation and suppressing your body's response to infections.2 UTIs occur when the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, is infected.—
Brittany Dube,
Health,
13 May 2025
Verb
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Officers used a taser on the man to try to subdue him, according to Cleverdon.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
19 May 2025
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The most subdued of those was one of the most tempting: Hotel Wren in Twentynine Palms, which only opened in March, a 12-room, high-end retreat with muted colors, enormous rooms, custom furniture and poolside mountain views.—
Christopher Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Verb
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The uprising was put down by government forces during Uruguay’s military dictatorship, and Mujica was subsequently imprisoned for nearly 15 years, enduring many forms of torture.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
13 May 2025
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So go beyond the battle royale, put down the architectural dogma, and start asking better questions about what your specific context, organization, and business needs demand.—
Forrester,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slap down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slap%20down. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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