1
2
as in blows
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 claps
a loud explosive sound
the whack echoed around the field
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in slaps
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 assassinates
slang
to put to death deliberately
without a second thought the mob boss had them whacked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whacks
Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2026
The star then grabbed a bat and took several whacks at a colorful piñata shaped like a cascaron.
—René Guzman, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Feb. 2026
Deeper down the road the slap of the drooping tropical tree branches against the windshield are like punishing whacks to the face for trying to force a metaphor.
—Matt Negrin, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2025
Brush off hair and debris from the surface, then give it a few whacks against the inside of the trash can to knock out some of the dust.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025
Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 27 Mar. 2026
Then little Holly Wheeler and her 10-year-old friends, including the Season 5 favorite Derek (Jake Connelly), all swarm into the basement and take over the D&D table in a passing of the torch that basically whacks the audience over our collective heads.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Fed up with Nicky’s dramatics, Lester uses his elevator crank and whacks the former hard in the back of his neck.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
Fanning flatlines when left to be a solo show as Bertino whacks her around like a pinball, hitting big, loud scares that seem to keep resetting.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
In the opening minute alone, Murphy shot just wide off a turnover and Josefin Bouveng set up Madison Kaiser for a couple of whacks from the edge of the blue paint that were both stopped.
—Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2026
The star then grabbed a bat and took several whacks at a colorful piñata shaped like a cascaron.
—René Guzman, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Feb. 2026
Deeper down the road the slap of the drooping tropical tree branches against the windshield are like punishing whacks to the face for trying to force a metaphor.
—Matt Negrin, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2025
Brush off hair and debris from the surface, then give it a few whacks against the inside of the trash can to knock out some of the dust.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
With runners on the corners, Martinez whacks a two-run, RBI double to tie it at five.
—Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 27 Mar. 2026
Then little Holly Wheeler and her 10-year-old friends, including the Season 5 favorite Derek (Jake Connelly), all swarm into the basement and take over the D&D table in a passing of the torch that basically whacks the audience over our collective heads.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Fed up with Nicky’s dramatics, Lester uses his elevator crank and whacks the former hard in the back of his neck.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
Fanning flatlines when left to be a solo show as Bertino whacks her around like a pinball, hitting big, loud scares that seem to keep resetting.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whacks
Noun
-
The Torrent came up empty on six tries with an extra skater.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Lovejoy had a 6-0 edge in shots on goal and a 5-0 advantage in additional tries in the second half.—
Ishmael Johnson,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Shesterkin’s first thought was about how big the 6-foot-6 Markström was, but the smaller goalie still managed to land the majority of the blows.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Parks turned into deserts, great skyscrapers leveled by blows from the tails of the monsters, and the entire population threatened in the panic and pestilence that followed the invasion.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tears flowed, and the audience held space for grief, offering supportive claps and chants.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
18 Mar. 2026
-
That front will bring a chance of drizzle to the coast, a few claps of thunder to the Sacramento Valley and snow flurries to the Tahoe area.—
Anthony Edwards,
San Francisco Chronicle,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The music also slaps, synthesizing industrial, electro-pop and iPod party music into a work that feels honest and the right kind of raunchy.—
Katie Bain,
Billboard,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Sporting a bright yellow raincoat and rainboots, Garcia pretends to be a journalist reporting on the storm in West Kendall as a palm tree leaf slaps her across the face.—
Xitlalic Montelongo,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That assassinates Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sparking retaliatory attacks by Iran across the Middle East.—
Jill Lawrence,
Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Soleimani assassination | Trump orders a drone strike in Iraq that assassinates Qasem Soleimani, an influential Iranian military commander.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Redshirt freshman Canaan Moore played in one game, against Eastern Washington, hitting one of his two field-goal attempts and all four extra points.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Isbel has recorded three steals on three attempts (10th in MLB).—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, neighbors can still hear the thumps.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Graziose kept a photo of the quartet in which Griffin looks reed-thin and sports bangs.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Even my curtain bangs—which are constantly under heat—look smoother and retain bouncy volume after using the OUAI balm.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whacks. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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