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

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

In the wake of a meeting between US president Joe Biden and Russian president Vladimir Putin at a summit in Geneva, held partly to defuse tensions over Russia's SolarWinds espionage campaign, the latest news of Russian hacking might appear to be a slap in the face to US diplomatic efforts. —

Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 1 July 2021 In the past, Vaughn might have been tempted to douse all Yancy’s dialogue with the sour aftertaste of superiority, but here his one-liners feel more like a peck on the cheek than a slap in the face. —

Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2024 What a slap in the face to the leaders who led this country to greatness. —

Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2024 As a Black athlete, his success was a slap in the face to Hitler’s racist policies. —

The Arizona Republic, 4 Aug. 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 15 Nov. 2024.

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