Thesaurus results for THWACKING

thwacking

verb

present participle of thwack

as in smacking

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

Relevance

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 thwacking Modern readers may take heart in the fact that there are many excellent critics thwacking through the slop—albeit with freelance machetes, on newfangled platforms. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026 Max Weinberg sat at his set, thwacking his floor tom, while Lahav fiddled with his dials, stalked into the studio to unplug, replug, and then just physically move the microphone closer to the set, then to the side, and then farther away. — Peter Ames Carlin, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025 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 With three classes of accommodation on board, passengers can sit at the windows of vintage cabins paneled with polished cherrywood and draped with blush pink silks as the train rumbles through rubber and palm plantations, giant leaves thwacking the sides. — Monisha Rajesh, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2024

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thwacking

Verb

But Varma and Shivam Dube (27) upped the ante in the final three overs by smacking 57 runs against Sufyan Moqim, Ayub and Ahmed Daniyal.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Carrington was ejected from the game in the first half after smacking Cunningham across the face during Cunningham's layup attempt.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of smacking

Verb

Intriguingly, this might not just be slapping boards into a plastic box.

— Sean Hollister, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
That incident involved Smith rushing the stage and slapping host Chris Rock with an open hand after the Oscars host made jokes about Jada Pinkett Smith.

— Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of slapping

Verb

Social media videos of him hitting tennis balls and baseballs while listing his policy proposals have provided a font of online mockery.

— Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
Lips and eyes were also adorned at the L’Oreal Paris booth, where guests received touch-ups before hitting the adjacent Allure Red Carpet.

— Eden Stuart, Allure, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of hitting

Verb

Video shared by NorCal Resist showed Moreida standing in the street recording an approaching SUV when its front-right corner struck him, knocking him to the pavement.

— Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Coral Springs Police said 44-year-old Matthew John Ryan rammed a shopping cart with a dog inside into the menorah at Chabad of Coral Springs on North University Drive, knocking it completely over.

— Bri Buckley, CBS News, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of knocking

Verb

Then left tackle Alaric Jackson was suspended by the NFL for punching a Bills player on the field after the game.

— Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
When substitute Gleiker Mendoza sealed the win with a superb shot into the top corner, Turan ran up the touchline, punching the air in delight.

— Simon Johnson, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of punching

Verb

It was recast by two local foundry workers, John Pass and John Stow, not once but twice, because the first recast produced a sound that one bystander likened to coal scuttles banging together.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 15 Oct. 2026
And then — more oysters, higher this time, cruel, pleasant things cutting at my hips, banging my thighs.

— Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of banging

Verb

Modeling work suggests the duo will keep orbiting our star for millions of years before ultimately slamming into either Earth or Venus.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
The impact caused the Camry to spin around, slamming into the back of a southbound 2021 Toyota RAV4.

— Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of slamming

Verb

There are frightening stories of swordfish charging boats, and even spearing their transoms and whacking propellers.

— Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2026
Yes, there were moments of humor, such as getting magic potions around the campfire at the end of each stage by whacking helpless little elves, but most of it was played straight, to great effect.

— Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of whacking

Browse Nearby Words

thwacked

thwacking

thwacks

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Thwacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thwacking. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of thwacking

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

emissary

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes