as in punches
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
one well aimed slug on the head knocked him out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in snails
a lazy person
he's always a slug in the morning, which is why he prefers to sleep late
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hits
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
she got so angry that she slugged the back of the chair and knocked it over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slugs
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano, The Spruce, 5 Apr. 2026
The rose slugs are the larvae of the sawfly.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Rosemary repels squirrels, deer, rats, mice, snails, slugs, and insects like mosquitoes, Mexican bean beetles, Japanese beetles, cabbage moths, and carrot flies.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026
People who eat freshwater crab, prawns, frogs, snails and slugs are at greatest risk.
—Susanne Rust
follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Leafy greens like head and leaf lettuce, spinach, and kale typically have very few pests aside from slugs early in the growing season and require very little input beyond abundant water and nitrogen.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026
Sometimes, slugs would slime their way from behind the baseboards.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
Watch your step for banana slugs.
—Daniel Bromfield, The Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2025
Gastropods are a class of mollusks that include snails, slugs and whelks.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2025
Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
Padilla and Hernandez toss out different accents – German (in which Storrie slugs a beer), Cajun, French, Shrek, Na’vi — even Shakespeare.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Machado slugs 169 points higher in wins.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
It is usually only afflicted by slugs, which can be easily managed, or crown rot due to overwatering.
—Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano, The Spruce, 5 Apr. 2026
The rose slugs are the larvae of the sawfly.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Rosemary repels squirrels, deer, rats, mice, snails, slugs, and insects like mosquitoes, Mexican bean beetles, Japanese beetles, cabbage moths, and carrot flies.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026
People who eat freshwater crab, prawns, frogs, snails and slugs are at greatest risk.
—Susanne Rust
follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Leafy greens like head and leaf lettuce, spinach, and kale typically have very few pests aside from slugs early in the growing season and require very little input beyond abundant water and nitrogen.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026
Sometimes, slugs would slime their way from behind the baseboards.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
Watch your step for banana slugs.
—Daniel Bromfield, The Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2025
Gastropods are a class of mollusks that include snails, slugs and whelks.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
The Texas first baseman slugs her team-high 12th homer of the year over the left-field fence as the Longhorns regain the lead.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
Padilla and Hernandez toss out different accents – German (in which Storrie slugs a beer), Cajun, French, Shrek, Na’vi — even Shakespeare.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Machado slugs 169 points higher in wins.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slugs
Verb
-
Lightning hits the United States approximately 25 million times annually.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Kane had two doubles, two of only three Bishop Moore hits.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Pros & Cons Vizio's Mini LED Quantum 4K QLED Smart TV punches far above its weight class.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The operator takes another swing, but the man ducks, punches the operator, then knocks him down, raining punches on his head before a bystander separates the two.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Irons pounds the drums like Bam-Bam smashing on two garbage-can lids.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Macron said France is expending diplomatic capital to ensure a return to calm and to allow for the Lebanese armed forces to assert themselves as Israel pounds Hezbollah positions.—
Sylvie Corbet,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Guzman knocks on the door, then goes behind a pillar.—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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It’s packed with anti-theft features Other than an accident (*knocks on wood*), my biggest fear is walking outside to find my expensive e-bike stolen.—
Erica Zazo,
Outside,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Joe Rodon clips a pass over the top of the Brentford defence for Calvert-Lewin to contest.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The holder clips right to your pack or waders and keeps everything in a neat, easy-to-dispense stack.—
Francesca Krempa,
Outside,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
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
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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
Verb
-
An attack rears its ugly head, and the security team smacks it down.—
Neil J. Rubenking,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Then reality smacks you in the face.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slugs. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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