thwacks 1 of 2

noun

plural of thwack
1
as in thuds
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 claps
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

thwacks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of thwack
as in slaps
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

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 thwacks
Noun
At last week’s class, high-fives and hair-styling tips were generously distributed between thwacks of tennis balls. — Lynda Lin Grigsby, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Verb
Morrison Strikes the Student, Too A few moments later, Morrison thwacks the boy in the center with a footlong plastic cylinder. — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 24 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thwacks
  1. thuds
  2. claps
  3. slaps
  4. thumps
  5. bangs
  6. knocks
  7. blows
  8. booms
Noun
  • Discordant keys fly like daggers while snares trip over bass thuds; there’s a jazzy piano interlude, and then a murderous hard-rock siege razes the mix to the ground.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Almost every night in Riyadh brings the bass-drum booms and thuds of interceptors launching to destroy incoming projectiles.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of thuds
Noun
  • Once the song ends, and with a smile on his face, Ludden claps and thanks the volunteers.
    — Marisa Peñaloza, NPR, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The entire gymnasium roared with claps and cheers, the loudest and most fervent applause of the evening.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of claps
Verb
  • Someone slaps a strip of medical tape across their lips, promises you deeper sleep, fewer snores and a sharper jawline by morning, then cuts to a dreamy sunrise shot.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As the child puts his hands up, Bible says Campbell slaps them away, then drags him off the field.
    — Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of slaps
Noun
  • The lower-vocal harmony struggles to stand out any time the deeper bass thumps.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Agents yelled from every direction, and the thumps of a news helicopter overhead were deafening.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Definition of thumps
Noun
  • InStyle tapped four hairstylists to round up the 10 best blunt hairstyles for thin hair, from cowgirl bobs to straight-across bangs.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The 28-year-old actress kept her long raven locks loose while styling her straight bangs across her forehead and ending an inch above her brown arched eyebrows.
    — Arushi Jacob, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of bangs
Verb
  • The move knocks the financier’s voting power in Liberty down from 48% to 3%, and no holder of Liberty Media common stock now holds more than 9% of voting power.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The loss knocks the Hornets, who have high expectations for this season, to a 3-6 start.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of knocks
Noun
  • Elsewhere, investors are absorbing the blows from a selloff in artificial intelligence stocks on Thursday, which saw the Nasdaq, S&P 500, and Russell 2000 all log their worst one-day loss since April 2025, according to FactSet data.
    — Sarah Min,Sawdah Bhaimiya,Sean Conlon, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Since the breakdown of a truce in July, Saudi Arabia has traded blows with the Houthis, who have retaliated with strikes on Saudi airports, energy infrastructure and military sites that killed at least 20 people in October.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of blows
Noun
  • Macaulay pointed to sailing, action sports and athleisure as industries that had experienced mainstream popularity booms before losing momentum.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The region once drew major investment inflows as investors chased returns during commodity booms.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of booms

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Thwacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thwacks. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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