SLAPPING Synonyms: 162 Similar and Opposite Words

slapping

verb

present participle of slap

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

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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 Gabby Williams hopped off a double-decker bus and began dancing through the streets, blowing a whistle to the beat and slapping high-fives with fans all while keeping her WNBA Finals MVP trophy safely tucked in her left arm. — ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026 Jamie Love is swaying, slapping a hand against her thigh to keep time, and mouthing along to the music that plays from a set of portable speakers. — Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026 Teens say a traffic altercation with former Dallas Cowboy Dez Bryant escalated in Southlake, where video shows Bryant slapping a phone out of a teen's hand. — Erin Jones, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 The comment referenced Will Smith taking the Oscar stage and slapping Chris Rock to defend his wife. — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026 Compton and Clark weave a folksy Celtic score, packed with thigh-slapping drinking songs, ethereal ballads and soaring earworms. — Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 Dating back to her chemistry read with Centineo, Liang suggested slapping Ken, and her co-star encouraged her to truly go for the jugular. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026 Intriguingly, this might not just be slapping boards into a plastic box. — Sean Hollister, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026 That incident involved Smith rushing the stage and slapping host Chris Rock with an open hand after the Oscars host made jokes about Jada Pinkett Smith. — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapping

Verb

But Varma and Shivam Dube (27) upped the ante in the final three overs by smacking 57 runs against Sufyan Moqim, Ayub and Ahmed Daniyal.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Carrington was ejected from the game in the first half after smacking Cunningham across the face during Cunningham's layup attempt.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of smacking

Verb

The brother will provoke him by hitting him first and saying cruel things, typically about me.

— R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
Shortly after the conversation began, Soho pulled out a handgun and shot at the officers, hitting two of them, according to the GBI.

— CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of hitting

Verb

Narratively, the momentum crests at the protest, abetted by Maksimović’s most dynamic cinematic trickery — which extends to a shot from the perspective of the errant, offending stone.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
Interestingly, there is no statistically detectable difference in offending rates before college, suggesting the future fraternity members weren’t always fundamentally different in their behavior.

— Jens Ludwig, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of offending

Verb

The alleged assault on restaurant employees Investigators said Gonzalez ambushed the employee, repeatedly punching him in the face with closed fists, knocking him to the ground, and continuing to strike him.

— Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
The firefighter responded by knocking Brown out with a metal bar.

— Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of knocking

Verb

Its construction required detonating explosives in the national monument, blasting apart an area called Monument Hill and outraging tribal leaders.

— Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 2 Nov. 2026
The Hitlerite hordes are murdering and outraging the peaceful inhabitants of our country, having no mercy on women, children or old people.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of outraging

Verb

Video shows a Pine-Richland football player punching a Plum player in the head during a game, prompting calls for accountability.

— CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
Anthony David Lizardo, 28, was arrested Sunday on a second-degree murder charge stemming from an incident where he was seen punching a man repeatedly in downtown Miami, according to his arrest report.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of punching

Verb

But acquiring those products throughout the years-to-a-decade doesn’t hurt my wallet as much as slamming $2,000 on the Apple Store counter.

— Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
The team behind this research performed simulations of the early universe and found stellar systems were densely packed, leading to stars frequently slamming into each other.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 3 Nov. 2026