1
as in smacking
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 insulting
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in
tired of jokes that slap people of faith
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 slapping
The deputy's response, seen on bodycam video slapping the suspect during her arrest, is under review, according to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.
—
Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 12 June 2026
In the run-up to the elections, Russia upped pressure on its ally by slapping import bans on Armenian products, including fresh fruit, flowers and spirits.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
Home plate umpire Dan Iassogna called a third strike, but Madrigal argued with the umpire, emphatically slapping his head.
—Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
Agnello is accused of slapping and punching the woman multiple times before allegedly choking her, police said.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 4 June 2026
Speaking of the interior, massive kudos to Audi for not slapping a bunch of screens on the dash of this beauty.
—Jerry Perez, The Drive, 4 June 2026
Bowen got his first big-league hit by going down to get a sweeper low and well off the plate and slapping it over second baseman Bryson Stott.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2026
Everton’s hopes of securing a first win at Old Trafford since 2013 seemed over when midfielder Idrissa Gueye was sent off in the 13th minute for slapping team-mate Michael Keane.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Video from the incident shows Shields slapping Baumgardner's hand to punctuate a heated exchange.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 12 June 2026
In the run-up to the elections, Russia upped pressure on its ally by slapping import bans on Armenian products, including fresh fruit, flowers and spirits.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
Home plate umpire Dan Iassogna called a third strike, but Madrigal argued with the umpire, emphatically slapping his head.
—Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
Agnello is accused of slapping and punching the woman multiple times before allegedly choking her, police said.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 4 June 2026
Speaking of the interior, massive kudos to Audi for not slapping a bunch of screens on the dash of this beauty.
—Jerry Perez, The Drive, 4 June 2026
Bowen got his first big-league hit by going down to get a sweeper low and well off the plate and slapping it over second baseman Bryson Stott.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2026
Everton’s hopes of securing a first win at Old Trafford since 2013 seemed over when midfielder Idrissa Gueye was sent off in the 13th minute for slapping team-mate Michael Keane.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Video from the incident shows Shields slapping Baumgardner's hand to punctuate a heated exchange.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapping
Verb
-
Deputies responded to a report of a driver smacking his car into a guardrail in front of The Bridge Restaurant before driving away, according to a sheriff’s office news release.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2026
-
As the match got away from her in the second set and the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd became increasingly hostile, Andreeva fully unraveled, smacking another ball towards the roof and asking members of her box to leave.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
The two-minute trailer includes a recreation of the famous sailor-kissing-a-nurse photo from V-J Day, a woman insulting David’s butter churning, some trench warfare repartee about the looks of a soldier’s love back at home, the Boston Tea Party, and jokes about child labor.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
11 June 2026
-
Reluctant to name favorite designers and boutiques for fear of insulting others, the actress spoke of her fondness for cashmere.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
-
The purpose of any heat shield is to be sure the extreme temperatures that objects hitting Earth’s atmosphere experience don’t harm the crew or cargo inside the vehicle.—
Margaret Landis,
The Conversation,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
During an engineering call, one engineer suggested that most of the offending library might not actually be necessary.—
Scott Breitenother,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
When the local library pulls a few of Cricket’s semi-nude life drawing portraits down for fear of offending their patrons, Olympia becomes his advocate and champion.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 June 2026
-
Newsom’s office said that along with the FBI, agents from the IRS have been knocking on doors and asking questions.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
On Day 1 of the truce, and in the days since, Israel has stepped up attacks against Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, in Lebanon, outraging Iran and leading to accusations the terms had been breached.—
Justin Fishel,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Georgia finished the season with a record of 53-14, won the SEC regular season and tournament titles, along with punching its first ticket back to Omaha for the first time since 2008.—
Hunter DeLauder,
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
-
He was also cuffed inside his Bronx home in 2024 after punching a family member in the face and choking them.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
The bomber was in the air a very short time before slamming into the ground about halfway down the runway.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
-
By Monday morning, Israeli politicians from across the spectrum were already slamming the deal, despite the fact that its details remain largely ill-defined.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slapping. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
