as in hitting
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 zapping
No one seems happy to still be zapping themselves with electrodes.
—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
These 15 recipes are a major step up from zapping a bag of frozen broccoli.
—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 June 2026
Scientists have been zapping brains to alleviate depression for decades through a method called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS.
—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
27 Apr. 2026
Lasers that focus on zapping drones out of the sky.
—
Lesley Stahl,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
Porzingis was limited to 42 games a year ago for the Boston Celtics in part because of an energy-zapping illness.
—
Sam Gordon,
San Francisco Chronicle,
27 Feb. 2026
Salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) lauded for its exfoliating and anti-inflammatory properties, has long been the MVP of breakout control, but today’s best salicylic acid serums go well beyond zapping zits.
—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
27 Jan. 2026
Even with Slack zapping the number of emails sent, most people still waste so much time sifting through their inboxes.
—
semafor.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
These 15 recipes are a major step up from zapping a bag of frozen broccoli.
—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 June 2026
Scientists have been zapping brains to alleviate depression for decades through a method called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS.
—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
27 Apr. 2026
Lasers that focus on zapping drones out of the sky.
—
Lesley Stahl,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
Porzingis was limited to 42 games a year ago for the Boston Celtics in part because of an energy-zapping illness.
—
Sam Gordon,
San Francisco Chronicle,
27 Feb. 2026
Salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) lauded for its exfoliating and anti-inflammatory properties, has long been the MVP of breakout control, but today’s best salicylic acid serums go well beyond zapping zits.
—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
27 Jan. 2026
Even with Slack zapping the number of emails sent, most people still waste so much time sifting through their inboxes.
—
semafor.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zapping
Verb
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Leveraged ETFs that aim to amplify SpaceX’s performance by providing double the returns (or losses) are already hitting the market.
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Ahead of the impending heat wave hitting the Pittsburgh area, Allegheny County officials have activated a Code Red Heat Advisory for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Verb
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The refs started handing out technical fouls like free samples, slapping Thomas and Hines-Allen with a double technical.
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Prosecutors dropped all charges against a bouncer for allegedly slapping a bar patron in February.
Verb
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Deputies responded to a report of a driver smacking his car into a guardrail in front of The Bridge Restaurant before driving away, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
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As the match got away from her in the second set and the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd became increasingly hostile, Andreeva fully unraveled, smacking another ball towards the roof and asking members of her box to leave.
Verb
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And take the Exit Readiness Quiz to understand exactly where the gaps are before any business buyer comes knocking.
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Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
Verb
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Cape Verde is not punching above its weight on heart.
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Court records reveal he was subsequently arrested for throwing a rock at people, and later for punching someone else.
Verb
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An on-and-off again rivalry during the primary The two men shared a similar message during the primary, slamming Democrats for mismanaging the state and calling for tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks.
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Also in 2007, Spencer was sentenced concurrently to seven years in prison for choking a woman, slamming her head to the ground, and robbing her of her cellphone, and for smashing into a woman's car and ransacking it, prosecutors said.
Verb
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The Atlas Lions made the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, breaking through the glass ceiling that CAF teams had been banging their heads on for decades at the quarter-final stage.
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While the cameras were rolling, Spielberg would stand just out of frame with two wooden bats, banging them together to startle her.
Verb
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Larry Hayes, 86, and Bill Moniz, 79, hit the tennis courts in Mountain View three to four times a week — whacking balls across the net as teammates for one to three hours a week.
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And the crowd clearly expected that pucks whacking the nets would be at a premium in this series, too.
Cite this Entry
“Zapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zapping. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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