slam/jam on the brakes

idiom

: to press down hard on the brakes of a car to make it stop suddenly
He slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting the other car.
You risk getting into an accident if you jam on the brakes when another car is right behind you.

Examples of slam/jam on the brakes 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.
If the first Trump tariffs in 2018 through 2019 are a guide, those importers could slam on the brakes in the coming months, Seroka said. Lisa Baertlein, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024 Don't slam on the brakes Texas arctic blast weather forecast Sarah Ann Dueñas is a digital producer for the USA TODAY Network. Sarah Ann Dueñas, Austin American-Statesman, 15 Jan. 2024 Tammy then nearly drives into a tree, starting to panic after having to slam on the brakes at the last minute. Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024 Purvis muses that a system like this might allow motorcycles to start running their own AEB systems, which could slam on the brakes when deemed necessary without fear of sending the rider on a surprise excursion over the handlebars. New Atlas, 11 Sep. 2024 Diaz said a motorist on a cross street had cruised through a stop sign, forcing Diaz to slam on the brakes to avoid a crash. Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2024 Suddenly, a Mercedes-Benz SUV stopped in front of him, forcing him to slam on the brakes. Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024 The randomness of where the ball might end up forced the players to slam on the brakes or speed up at a high rate. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024 Opponents contend the slow-growth measure would slam on the brakes, just as the city is overcoming decades of construction inertia. James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2023

Dictionary Entries Near slam/jam on the brakes

Cite this Entry

“Slam/jam on the brakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slam%2Fjam%20on%20the%20brakes. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

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