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
  • Rapp, up on Taft Point, heard two thuds.
    — Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • 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
Definition of thuds
Noun
  • The Golf Channel would always be playing in the background; the soft claps were the soundtrack to our slow Saturdays.
    — Ivy Odom, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026
  • One of the moments in the musical that caused the most laughter and claps from the audience was the final song, which mocks the idea of using violence as a form of protest rather than joining a movement or focusing on policy.
    — Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2026
Definition of claps
Verb
  • Helmut Haller, West Germany vs England, 1966 Ray Wilson misjudges his headed clearance, Haller gathers it on the edge of the box and, just before Bobby Moore can close him down, slaps a right-footed shot into the far corner.
    — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • Wilhelm enters the room, removes most of his clothing and gets into bed with her, slaps her, pushes her away and then caresses her face and cradles her.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 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
  • Wills had been in a meeting and recalled a fireball flying past and singeing her bangs.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In place of the blunt bangs, Reputation, Lover, Folklore, Evermore, Midnights, and The Tortured Poets Department.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of bangs
Verb
  • When a headline knocks a stock down, the useful question is whether anything inside the business moved.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Brink is no stranger to the injury bug, as this is just the latest in a series of knocks the Sparks center has taken recently.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of knocks
Noun
  • Guevera also reportedly came to blows with Eddie Kingston in 2022, leading to Kingston’s suspension.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Hernandez is a grappler in the octagon who can unleash crushing blows with his fists, elbows and legs.
    — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of blows
Noun
  • Cities that saw outsized pandemic-era migration and construction booms are now working through excess supply, producing the only sustained year-over-year price declines in the country.
    — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The former offensive lineman is a towering presence on the practice field, and his voice booms across the field even with whistles and music blaring.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of booms

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Cite this Entry

“Thwacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thwacks. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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