as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
zapped the annoying bug with a swatter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of zap
By around 1966, it was cleared from the US, and Mexico zapped the population in the 1980s.
—
Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
Thus, all of the Face Cards are defeated, leading Mira to be zapped to oblivion.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Sep. 2025
You’re not zapped back into your normal brain so quickly.
—P.e. Moskowitz
september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
For all of Earth history, lightning has been zapping the surface, today at the rate of 100 strikes a second.
—Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zap
Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
Thus, all of the Face Cards are defeated, leading Mira to be zapped to oblivion.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Sep. 2025
You’re not zapped back into your normal brain so quickly.
—P.e. Moskowitz
september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
For all of Earth history, lightning has been zapping the surface, today at the rate of 100 strikes a second.
—Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zap
Verb
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Snell faced the minimum while allowing one hit and striking out a postseason career-high 10 batters.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
14 Oct. 2025
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Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Last year in a Bravo League football game against Tesoro, a 44-14 win for the Sea Kings in which Annett passed for 285 yards, he was hit by a defender while making a throw, knocking his right (throwing) shoulder out of socket.—
Richard Dunn,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
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This isn’t to knock van der Kolk’s book—a book on mental health being so popular feels like a win—but fewer and fewer books getting larger and larger deals is a worrying trend.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That conflict comes to a head in the middle of campus in the film’s most intense scene, as Alma verbally belittles and demeans her until Maggie snaps and suddenly smacks her mentor.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
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The previous year, another Hall of Famer, Dave Winfield, smacked the series-winning double in the top of the 11th inning of Game 6 against the Braves at old Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As the scrum disperses, D’Angelo turns to you and slaps you five.—
Touré,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
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Violeta Santos Moura | Reuters Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused China of trying to weaken the global economy by slapping export controls on resources vital for technology.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The victim resisted, was punched, and attempted to flee while calling a friend for help.—
Phillipe Vieira,
CNN Money,
15 Oct. 2025
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The video, which has more than 1,000 shares, captured a woman punching another woman on a counter when a man with a gray shirt walked up to them.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Adriana James-Rodil,
FOXNews.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There are up to 20,000 rabid people raining down their emotions from all angles, a dozen sticks clattering, two dozen skates carving, all those burly bodies bumping into each other and banging into the boards, plus an endless stream of screaming and grunting and cursing.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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Vanderbilt played 13 minutes Wednesday before being removed midway through the second quarter with a left quadriceps contusion after banging his left knee with a Mavericks defender.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Someone put down her pencil and began to clap.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
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Many in the crowd of nearly 200 people clapped to the tempo and swayed to the beat.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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Riley Greene whacked a 96-mph fastball that snuck over the right-field fence for Detroit’s second run.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Zap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zap. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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