as in slaps
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered a quick spank to the child's bottom for disobedience
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spanks
Noun
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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
Verb
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The boy smacks him in the mouth and then immediately starts crying.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
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An attack rears its ugly head, and the security team smacks it down.—
Neil J. Rubenking,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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From there, the two schools traded blows until intermission.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
2 June 2026
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According to the coroner, there was evidence of nine blows to the victim’s head and neck.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Aledo thumps Colleyville Heritage, Joshua next Tiara Butler dropped in 13 points to lead Aledo to a 48-21 win over Colleyville Heritage in a Class 5A Division I bi-district playoff on Monday.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Feb. 2026
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Pam thumps down to earth, all four chair legs on the floor.—
Allegra Goodman,
New Yorker,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In the opening minute alone, Murphy shot just wide off a turnover and Josefin Bouveng set up Madison Kaiser for a couple of whacks from the edge of the blue paint that were both stopped.—
Mike Cook,
Twin Cities,
14 Mar. 2026
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The star then grabbed a bat and took several whacks at a colorful piñata shaped like a cascaron.—
René Guzman,
San Antonio Express-News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Enough sunshine on Sunday should push temperatures back into the low 90s before a cooler breeze knocks us back to normal on Monday.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
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And that's when a shot blasts through the door and knocks Lena to the ground.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
Noun
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Rhodes peppered Gunther with punches, a bionic elbow and a Pedigree for a nearfall.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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Stockstill was throwing punches, but not connecting.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Verb
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In the fourth minute, Meschack Elia whips a ball across the box to Bakambu, eight yards from goal.—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
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Stephen Fry whips out his phone to snag a picture with Johnny Knoxville inside the Fox Upfront 2026 afterparty in New York City on May 11.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Spanks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spanks. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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