smacks 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of smack
as in splashes
a very small amount add just a smack of vanilla to the whipped cream and the dessert will be perfect

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

smacks

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of smack
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument the cook gave him a smack on the wrist when he tried to sneak an early taste of the sauce

Synonyms & Similar Words

smacks

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of smack
as in slaps
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner he smacked the punching bag one final time before heading to the showers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 smacks
Noun
Eventually, Ginger's playful touches turn to rowdy smacks on Jesse's behind. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025 Some biologists argue that more frequent smacks are a sign of rising ocean temperatures. — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
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 Then reality smacks you in the face. — Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026 Squad' rep's felon husband smacks phone from reporter 3. — FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026 Just as this monster is about to take out the entire team on the Abyss, a giant boulder flies through the air and smacks him in the face. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2026 But when things go poorly, one of those large bodies smacks into a larger one, creating a catastrophic impact and, if there’s life on the world that gets struck, a potential extinction event. — Big Think, 26 Nov. 2025 Quietly handling the cornbread, with a buttery scent that smacks you right in the face, is her paternal grandmother. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2025 As the scene unfolds, the gorilla suddenly lifts its arm and smacks the glass, causing a crack. — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smacks
  1. splashes
  2. blows
  3. slaps
  4. touches
  5. thumps
  6. knocks
  7. little
  8. swipes
Noun
  • As the United States of America celebrated its 250th birthday on terra firma with fireworks displays this weekend, two Asian countries made some splashes of their own farther from Earth.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026
  • This recipe has a citrus base that feels seasonally appropriate with splashes of Tabasco which add extra heat.
    — Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Definition of splashes
Noun
  • Holloway, even a Holloway who is nearing the end of his career with a somewhat suspect chin and ability to absorb heavy blows, wins this fight more times than not.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Rolling with the punches, though, is harder when the blows keep landing on the starting rotation.
    — Jesús Cano, New York Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of blows
Verb
  • Wilhelm enters the room, removes most of his clothing and gets into bed with her, slaps her, pushes her away and then caresses her face and cradles her.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of slaps
Noun
  • The country’s tragic 21st-century travails provide much of the fodder for the couple’s drama in director Cyril Aris’ moving film, including whether to stay or emigrate, with touches of magical realism and whimsy providing levity.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 6 July 2026
  • Released in May 2025, the timepiece is based on the RM 72-01 flyback chronograph that launched in 2020, but features a few fresh aesthetic touches in honor of the Monegasque racer.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 6 July 2026
Definition of touches
Noun
  • Agents yelled from every direction, and the thumps of a news helicopter overhead were deafening.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
  • You’ll be thrown around in your seat, which moves in sync with the action, along with thumps in the back, splashes of water, blasts of air, smoke, and flashes of light.
    — Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
Definition of thumps
Verb
  • My parents tell stories about me sleeping through loud construction, alarms, and heavy knocks on my bedroom door.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 July 2026
  • Palestra instead knocks it past him with his right foot with great balance in a tight space.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 27 June 2026
Definition of knocks
Noun
  • Big action scenes tend to be more harrowing in live action than animation, so that's something to look out for with the littles.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 July 2026
  • Even the littles help out with age-appropriate tasks.
    — Melissa Willets, Parents, 18 June 2026
Definition of little
Noun
  • Make careful vertical swipes, run the vegetable peeler down the sides of the fruit, following its curves to trim closely between the skin and the flesh.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026
  • Wipe in circular motions with a lint-free microfiber cloth to loosen grime, then finish with long, horizontal swipes.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 2 July 2026
Definition of swipes

Browse Nearby Words

smack (of)
smacks
smacks (of)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Smacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smacks. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on smacks

Nglish: Translation of smacks for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All