1
2
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the wasp's nest a good whack with the bat
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in bang
a loud explosive sound
the whack echoed around the field
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
whacked the vending machine to get the candy bar to fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to assassinate
slang
to put to death deliberately
without a second thought the mob boss had them whacked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 whack
Zach Harper, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
But as of late, that theorem has gone all out of whack.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2025
Murr Brewster, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Apr. 2025
Then, Crosby instinctively whacked at the puck and absolutely buried it top shelf.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whack
Noun
Initial concern for the Pacers: An inability to stop Giannis Antetokounmpo can throw everything out of whack.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
But as of late, that theorem has gone all out of whack.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
One day Dave whacked the laurel hedge down to sturdy stumps, like dinosaurs fossilized midstride.
—Murr Brewster, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Apr. 2025
Then, Crosby instinctively whacked at the puck and absolutely buried it top shelf.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whack
Noun
-
Automakers could be compensated for previous tariff payments as Trump attempts to pull back on fierce tariffs.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
-
As an attempt to derive meaning from a meaningless phrase —which was, after all, the user's request—that's not half bad.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
With a blow of his whistle, all sorts of words applied: pandemonium, euphoria, mania.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
-
What’s 42 to 43? Into a black place of great blows from the little mountains from the sea came.—
John Berryman,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Here's when a diploma may not deliver much of a bang for the buck.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Kerry Washington turned the trending blunt cut into a bang, while MAC cosmetics used two-toned lip liner and bronze eyeshadow on supermodel Aweng Chuol.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton hit the game-winning shot, crossing over Antetokounmpo and driving to the basket for a right-handed layup with 1.3 seconds left.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
2 May 2025
-
Batters are hitting just .075 against his four-seam fastball and .167 against his changeup.—
Jim Bowden,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
After years of battling intimidation, threats and even a poisoning, she was assassinated outside the elevator of her Moscow apartment in 2005.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
2 May 2025
-
In December 2024, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s radiological, chemical, and biological defense forces, was assassinated in Moscow.—
ROSEANNE MCMANUS,
Foreign Affairs,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
On the fourth try, the bird may have found something.—
Amanda Schupak,
CNN Money,
25 Apr. 2025
-
After poor weather forced ULA to scrub a launch attempt on April 9, the company will have to wait nearly three weeks for another try to launch an Atlas V rocket with Amazon's first full-up load of 27 Kuiper broadband satellites, Ars reports.—
Abigail Bassett,
ArsTechnica,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Scott tried for a slap but Rhodes hit him with the Cross Rhodes.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Reports indicated that Scott's forceful slap across Rhodes's face resulted in a ruptured eardrum, an injury severe enough to necessitate Rhodes wearing an earplug during subsequent appearances.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Therefore, there should be incentive for everyone to work collectively to get rid of STDs and give any efforts to do so more than a slow clap, so to speak.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Reno piled more than 40 clap tracks onto the production, though the volume of parts involved isn’t necessarily evident in the final cut.—
Tom Roland,
Billboard,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whack. Accessed 8 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share