1
as in smacks
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 insults
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 blows
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 sarcasms
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
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Recent Examples of slaps
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026
Anderson slaps his hit down the right field line, just fair.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
At the end of the night, during the bows, Butler slaps the guys playing her two antagonists gently on their butts, a gesture that would have jarred in most stagings but fully in keeping with the inclusive, humanistic vibe of this production.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
The music also slaps, synthesizing industrial, electro-pop and iPod party music into a work that feels honest and the right kind of raunchy.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2026
Sporting a bright yellow raincoat and rainboots, Garcia pretends to be a journalist reporting on the storm in West Kendall as a palm tree leaf slaps her across the face.
—Xitlalic Montelongo, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Think Nvidia’s new feature that slaps an AI filter onto your favorite games looks like garbage?
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 18 Mar. 2026
Nahill is even featured in a video, indulgently attempting to snack on a donut, before Tyson, now a de facto spokesperson for HHS’ healthy foods initiatives, slaps it out of his hand.
—Chelsea Cirruzzo, STAT, 27 Feb. 2026
Is this violence different from the time in her childhood when Irene slaps her?
—CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Moxley didn’t need a pep talk, just some stiff slaps from Marina Shafir.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Leonard extended his 20-point streak to 49 straight games with 27 points on 9-of-19 shooting, welcoming hand slaps from teammates after hitting his second 3-pointer late in the game.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
The Singers centers on an impromptu sing-off in a bar, whereas Two People Exchanging Saliva explores a society where kissing is punishable by death, and people pay for things by receiving slaps to the face.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
In this world, items are paid for by receiving slaps to the face.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Europe has long underspent on defense, and where American cajoling for decades had not worked, a few face slaps succeeded.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
Expect the date nights to keep coming—Rocky’s album slaps, and the Rih-Rocky couples style moments match the vibe and more.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 18 Jan. 2026
The fans are behind Sark, but no amount of attaboys or back-slaps can replace being in the same place as national semifinalists Indiana, Ole Miss, Oregon and Miami.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 3 Jan. 2026
Verb
That direct relationship is what separates a true farm to table operation from a restaurant that simply slaps the phrase on a marketing page.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026
Anderson slaps his hit down the right field line, just fair.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
At the end of the night, during the bows, Butler slaps the guys playing her two antagonists gently on their butts, a gesture that would have jarred in most stagings but fully in keeping with the inclusive, humanistic vibe of this production.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
The music also slaps, synthesizing industrial, electro-pop and iPod party music into a work that feels honest and the right kind of raunchy.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2026
Sporting a bright yellow raincoat and rainboots, Garcia pretends to be a journalist reporting on the storm in West Kendall as a palm tree leaf slaps her across the face.
—Xitlalic Montelongo, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Think Nvidia’s new feature that slaps an AI filter onto your favorite games looks like garbage?
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 18 Mar. 2026
Nahill is even featured in a video, indulgently attempting to snack on a donut, before Tyson, now a de facto spokesperson for HHS’ healthy foods initiatives, slaps it out of his hand.
—Chelsea Cirruzzo, STAT, 27 Feb. 2026
Is this violence different from the time in her childhood when Irene slaps her?
—CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
Here, The Athletic reviews Everton’s season just gone — their first at Hill Dickinson Stadium and one of highs, lows, slaps and… toasters.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Moxley didn’t need a pep talk, just some stiff slaps from Marina Shafir.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Leonard extended his 20-point streak to 49 straight games with 27 points on 9-of-19 shooting, welcoming hand slaps from teammates after hitting his second 3-pointer late in the game.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
The Singers centers on an impromptu sing-off in a bar, whereas Two People Exchanging Saliva explores a society where kissing is punishable by death, and people pay for things by receiving slaps to the face.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
In this world, items are paid for by receiving slaps to the face.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Europe has long underspent on defense, and where American cajoling for decades had not worked, a few face slaps succeeded.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
Expect the date nights to keep coming—Rocky’s album slaps, and the Rih-Rocky couples style moments match the vibe and more.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 18 Jan. 2026
The fans are behind Sark, but no amount of attaboys or back-slaps can replace being in the same place as national semifinalists Indiana, Ole Miss, Oregon and Miami.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 3 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slaps
Verb
-
The boy smacks him in the mouth and then immediately starts crying.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
-
An attack rears its ugly head, and the security team smacks it down.—
Neil J. Rubenking,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ohm quickly insults nearly every employee at this small hotel within moments of meeting them, except for the young, pretty bartender, Fiona (Florence Ordesh).—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Saariaho never once loses control of momentum and never insults her own tastefulness.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Like many businesses and restaurants in neighborhoods like Little Village and Pilsen, Carnitas Uruapan picked itself back up after economic woes and significant blows to foot traffic as customers were afraid to eat out, while employees hesitated to come to work.—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
-
The city’s population was diverse and fractious, with religious and ethnic groups who spoke Russian, Polish, Belarusian, German, Yiddish, and Hebrew, and often came to blows with one another.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
First seen at a night-club table of menacing lowlifes, Ida, whose mother tongue is Brooklynese, suddenly switches to a heavy British accent and dispenses a torrent of highly literary sarcasms.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And that's when a shot blasts through the door and knocks Lena to the ground.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
-
Hudson showed some subtle support for the jesting knocks to her boyfriend by reposting a clip of his final joke shared on Fox News' official X page.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Very little offends me in a moral sense in the theater, but parts of this script came close.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Obviously the blandness of a tan wall offends them.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Stockstill was throwing punches, but not connecting.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
-
An example of maximalism at its best, the color palette is a mix of blues (from midnight to cobalt to aquamarine) with punches of orange.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Grief hits people in different ways and no one would be judged.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
Jorge Soler and Donovan Walton accounted for the Angels hits with singles.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slaps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slaps. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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