1
as in thud
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
he gave the ball a hard thwack with the bat and sent it deep into the outfield
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in clap
a loud explosive sound
even from the top of the bleachers we could hear the loud thwack of the ball being hit
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to slap
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
thwacked the growling dog on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thwack
Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
The truck, which serves Mexican food, was parked across from a two-story home under construction, where the clang of hammers and thwack of nail guns sent echoes through the canyon.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Look down and there’s another scene: America’s power players – rich guys humbled by the task of thwacking a 1.62-ounce sphere from one spot to another.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for thwack
Noun
The timpani pound relentlessly on D and A, the final notes accentuated by elephantine bass-drum thwacks.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
The truck, which serves Mexican food, was parked across from a two-story home under construction, where the clang of hammers and thwack of nail guns sent echoes through the canyon.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
Club World Cup viewers may remember the South American receiving the ball, skipping past an opponent, and thwacking in a long-range goal against Urawa Reds in June.
—Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Look down and there’s another scene: America’s power players – rich guys humbled by the task of thwacking a 1.62-ounce sphere from one spot to another.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for thwack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thwack
Noun
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Timpani, bass drums, and piano follow with a concussive thud.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
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But after the sharp rise, EV sales for the rest of the year will likely come back to Earth with a heavy thud.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The crowd, quietening into a slow clap with the moment building, burst into a celebration.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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But Lloyd’s awkward staging here and questionable affectations (including an audience clap-along) makes Pozzo’s relationship with Lucky unfocused and puzzling.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lawrence attempted to go over the pile on a fourth-down snap from the 1-yard line, but Bolton greeted him there, slapping the ball away and forcing a fumble inches before the ball reached the line.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
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After Demercado gave up the ball too early, Gannon is seen in the video walking by him and appearing to slap his arm — while his teammates console the TCU product.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Another Boras client, Cody Bellinger, was nearing the end of his second season in Chicago, which did not deliver as much thump as his MVP-level 2023 campaign.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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The dramatic thump of the ship’s four electromagnetic catapults which shoot them into the sky is constant and can be heard throughout the ship.—
Matthew Bodner,
NBC news,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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She was given bangs—cut by her hairstylist, Tym Wallace—which were a touch longer than a traditional mod cut, showcasing her eye makeup beautifully.—
Essence,
Essence,
10 Oct. 2025
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Voracious manga readers will find value in the subscription the most, with Crunchyroll aiming to offer the most bang for your buck.—
Devin Robertson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The back half of the New York Film Festival delivered a secret screening of a solid Academy Award contender, the box office smacked down a Venice Film Festival award winner, and two major contenders in the acting fields up and switched their categories.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
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Their best chance against him came in the first inning when Kyle Schwarber smacked a one-out double to right.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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China’s sweeping new restrictions, some of which won’t take effect until November, could deal a huge blow to East Asian economies, such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, which play critical roles in the global tech and artificial intelligence supply chain, as well as the auto industries.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
13 Oct. 2025
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Though no plant jobs were lost, just reallocated, the move still came as a blow, according to UAW Local 14 President Tony Totty.—
Jackie Charniga,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As seen, Thornton is boom/bust already, but the Lions game presents good boom potential.—
Jake Ciely,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Solomon said the massive amounts of spending weren’t fundamentally different from other booms and busts.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thwack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thwack. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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