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
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
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
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
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
-
El Dorado made 16 of its 48 shots from the floor and was 11 for 29 on 3-point tries.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
11 Mar. 2026
-
What Adebayo did was remarkable in its own right, a (mostly) necessary feat that helped the Heat (37-29) win their sixth consecutive game (and 10th in 13 tries) while missing three of their top four scorers (Norman Powell, Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins).—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In the video, York is seen throwing hits while also absorbing blows to the face.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The teams traded blows throughout the night, but especially down the stretch.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The latest in what appears to be an unending stream of storms thundered through the Bay Area on Tuesday, producing violent claps of thunder and lightning bright enough to light up momentarily the gray and sometimes dark sky.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
These were claps of relief and encouragement from a European audience bracing for a mauling like JD Vance’s onslaught last year.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Nahill is even featured in a video, indulgently attempting to snack on a donut, before Tyson, now a de facto spokesperson for HHS’ healthy foods initiatives, slaps it out of his hand.—
Chelsea Cirruzzo,
STAT,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Is this violence different from the time in her childhood when Irene slaps her?—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 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
-
Several attempts to absolve and absorb the liquid were unsuccessful, leading to a much longer closure than CHP officers had initially expected.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The commission, which was established by statute in 1987 and serves as a bridge between the government and the state’s growing Latino population, has now survived two attempts to defund or eliminate it.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, neighbors can still hear the thumps.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This dry shampoo is long-lasting, smells amazing, and gives just the volumizing pick-me-up my bangs need on days between washes.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Waterhouse, however, chose a different hairstyle, sporting her signature curtain bangs and completed the look with a rosy makeup look.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whacks. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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