SLAPPING DOWN Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

slapping down

verb

present participle of slap down

as in sitting on

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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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 down The production runs for 2026 and 2027 are sold out, but future flyers can jump in the queue for the 2028 build now by slapping down a deposit of US$8,000. — New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapping down

Verb

As Matt Reeves is hard at work in Gotham City, James Gunn is quelling some overeager fans about the timeline of the Batman trilogy.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026
Aside from Spain’s progress in quelling the fires this week, there are still active fires in France to consider, since the particulate matter could continue drifting across large portions of its neighboring nation.

— T. Michelle Murphy, Time, 29 July 2026

Definition of quelling

Verb

In that sense, emotional intelligence becomes less about suppressing feelings than directing them productively.

— Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
The men now rising through the security establishment have spent their careers confronting enemies abroad and suppressing dissent at home.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of suppressing

Verb

This means the market makers, often called dealers, are the ones that have to play catch-up, adding to volatility instead of subduing it.

— Oliver Renick, CNBC, 23 July 2026
Rome — The death of a Moroccan man in police custody has sparked protests – some violent – in the northern city of Bologna after video of the incident showing officers forcefully subduing the man circulated online.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 21 July 2026

Definition of subduing

Verb

When elites are strong, dictators need to accommodate them, often by repressing outsiders to shield insiders from potential challenges.

— José Kaire, The Conversation, 17 July 2026
Normally, this modifier gene suppresses the creation of a second kind of hemoglobin, typically made only during fetal development; repressing the gene prompts cells to start making the fetal form of hemoglobin again, which acts as a backup.

— Roxanne Khamsi, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026

Definition of repressing

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slapping

slapping down

slaps

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“Slapping down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slapping%20down. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of slapping down

verb

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