a slap in the face

noun phrase

: a surprising act that offends or insults someone

Her decision to leave the company to work for our competitors was a slap in the face.

Examples of a slap in the face in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

This ad is a lie that serves as a slap in the face of all hardworking female athletes. —

Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 10 Feb. 2025 Some suggested on social media that the way Trump handled his swearing-in, so to speak, was a slap in the face to evangelical Christians who have so staunchly supported Trump. —

Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2025 Just over three years ago, Squid Game arrived as a slap in the face to anyone who thought a South Korean show couldn’t be a global hit. —

Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 26 Dec. 2024 Her defeat, Donald Trump’s triumph in each and every battleground state and — especially — his winning the popular vote were more than a slap in the face of Black women, long among the most loyal and dedicated of Democrats. —

Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for a slap in the face

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“A slap in the face.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20slap%20in%20the%20face. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

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