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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thwack
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2025
His fast, athletic swing, grimacing expressions, large hands, and the audible thwack of ball-on-club distinguished him.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 31 July 2025
Fans all over the world can track every shot of every player — including balls thwacked on the driving range.
—Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thwack
Noun
The boom and thwack of basketball and football rather than electric guitars and the basic chord progressions of the average Green Day song.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2025
His fast, athletic swing, grimacing expressions, large hands, and the audible thwack of ball-on-club distinguished him.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Verb
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
Fans all over the world can track every shot of every player — including balls thwacked on the driving range.
—Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thwack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thwack
Noun
-
Likewise, the score by Tony Doogan leans too heavily on generic electronic thuds, the kind that segue into a commercial break cliffhanger and an ad for blood pressure medicine.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The Charlotte Hornets’ president of basketball operations summarized the team’s plight in the 2025-26 season, which ended with a thud in Friday night’s play-in tournament loss to the Orlando Magic, and looked forward to the next task.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Clad in all black, James and the band cracked wise onstage with a brash, swashbuckling attitude, led constant clap-alongs, and took multiple sojourns into the crowd — and that was just during the first song.—
Daniel Kohn,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2026
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His assessment of the project is correct in the sense that while the tracks all carry his signature take on the stomp-clap beat structure, the melodic content is vast and varied.—
Chris Barilla,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Draftniks slap grades on the quality of the picks based on their perceptions of where the player’s talent meets positional need.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Marcus Smart grabbed the ball and fired a two-handed pass to James, who bobbled it and slapped it to Luke Kennard.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Yankees need Wells to provide at least some thump in a bottom third of the order that hasn’t been very good.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Moments later, a bass thump sounded in the distance.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The first and most obvious change is her bangs.—
Vicky Vera,
Glamour,
26 Apr. 2026
-
They and others were seated at the front of the ballroom when video captured what sounded like at least five loud bangs before armed officers rushed in and hauled the president, first lady, Vice President JD Vance and others away while other attendees ducked down under tables.—
Garrett Haake,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Varma smacked Ashok Sharma for 26 runs from three sixes and two fours in the 18th, and reached his hundred with a six and a four off Prasidh Krishna’s last two balls in the final over that went for 22.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
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Near mile marker 161, about six miles from the summit, the 2020 Freightliner smacked the barrier wall on the right side of the road.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Arsenal’s title challenge is back on track, Liverpool have been dealt a potentially season-defining injury blow, and Fantasy Premier League managers now have just four Gameweeks left to make their mark.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The loss of Kidal represents a significant blow to Russia’s credibility in Mali, where the military junta has relied on mercenaries to combat Islamic extremism.—
Wilson Mcmakin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Leo began the day with Mass in Mongomo, an eastern city on the border with Gabon that has experienced major development since Equatorial Guinea’s oil boom in the 1990s.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Many luxury players have seen their business suffer over the past few years, following a boom in demand during Covid-19, which led to price hikes that alienated customers.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thwack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thwack. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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