1
as in to smack
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
she was so mad that she wanted to slap him right across the face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to insult
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in
tired of jokes that slap people of faith
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
doctors used to give newborns a light slap to get them to start breathing
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
that comment is a slap to anyone who has ever served in the military
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of slap
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
China, earlier this year, slapped controls on any rare earth exports, including those bound to countries other than the U.S. China customs data shows that rare earth exports to Europe fell by just over 80% in May.
—Brit Morse, Fortune, 9 July 2025
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 9 May 2025
Some trepidation, some laughs, a slap, some vulnerability, a funeral, a revealing email, a lawsuit, an enormously successful comedy special, a roast, and so much more — as the three detail in the video recap, above.
—Gerrad Hall, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slap
Verb
For instance, Trump slapped steep tariffs on steel and aluminum and is targeting copper next — and those are critical inputs factories need to make goods.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
China, earlier this year, slapped controls on any rare earth exports, including those bound to countries other than the U.S. China customs data shows that rare earth exports to Europe fell by just over 80% in May.
—Brit Morse, Fortune, 9 July 2025
Noun
It's all wrapped up in primary colored slap bracelets to triage our national maladies from green to red: survivable to critical.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 9 May 2025
Some trepidation, some laughs, a slap, some vulnerability, a funeral, a revealing email, a lawsuit, an enormously successful comedy special, a roast, and so much more — as the three detail in the video recap, above.
—Gerrad Hall, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slap
Verb
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In 1648, a group of English Puritans set sail from Bermuda to avoid religious persecution only to smack into Devil’s Backbone reef.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
9 July 2025
-
Standing all of 4-foot-5 and weighing 63 pounds, Indie-Reign routinely smacks the ball about 170 yards off the tee.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Heard believed someone behind him insulted him, leading to him shooting Betker Jr. multiple times, according to court documents.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
8 July 2025
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Financially blacklisting trans, intersex, and non-binary perspectives will rob us of a vital literature yet to be written while insulting the dignity of LGBTQIA+ people everywhere.—
Angele Latham,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Pang’s departure is a blow to Apple’s AI ambitions and comes amid internal scrutiny of its AI strategy, which has so far failed to match the capabilities fielded by rival tech companies, leaving Apple dependent on third-party AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
8 July 2025
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The news was not only a blow to Lilly but also a surprise to millions using Zepbound on Caremark plans, who are now questioning how to move forward.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
7 July 2025
Verb
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While hitting 350 homers is a feat in itself, Judge reached the mark more quickly than former slugger Mark McGwire.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
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The Padres took a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a one-out single, moved to third on a single by Luis Arraez and scored on a sacrifice fly by Machado.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 July 2025
Verb
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While some Hollywood studios such as Lionsgate and Blumhouse have collaborated with AI companies, others have been reluctant to announce partnerships at the risk of offending talent that have voiced concerns over how AI could be used to alter their digital likeness without adequate compensation.—
Wendy Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2025
-
The LinkedIn feed is full of safe, vanilla content because everyone's scared to offend.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Noun
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Above her, the sweeping halo scoreboard glowed, flashing beneath the thump of blasting pop anthems.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
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On the footage, the sound is a muffled thump, and neither Rush nor Foss seemed alarmed.—
Jenny Porter Tilley,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Fans in the comments applauded Carpenter’s use of sarcasm to indirectly address the hoopla.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
26 June 2025
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There’s always a little colored sarcasm in our music, there’s a little tongue-in-cheek, but then there is always some really deep meaningful subject matter on our records, too.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
25 June 2025
Verb
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Another of Raleigh's sons, Kyle, ran up, and punched Morrow in the head before pinning him to the pavement.—
Kevin Grasha,
The Enquirer,
11 July 2025
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Kelly tries to pick up his cell phone and belongings scattered on a bike lane when the twins return and begin punching him, the video shows.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
10 July 2025
Video
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Cite this Entry
“Slap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slap. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.
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