slam

1 of 3

verb

slammed; slamming

transitive verb

1
: to shut forcibly and noisily : bang
2
a
: to set or slap down violently or noisily
slammed down the phone
b
: to propel, thrust, or produce by or as if by striking hard
slam on the brakes
slammed the car into a wall
3
: to strike or beat hard : knock
4
: to criticize harshly

intransitive verb

1
: to make a banging noise
2
: to function (as in moving) with emphatic and usually noisy vigor
the hurricane slammed into the coast
slammed out of the room
3
: to utter verbal abuse or harsh criticism

slam

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
a
: a noisy violent closing
b
: a banging noise
especially : one made by the slam of a door
2
: a heavy blow or impact
3
: a poetry competition performed before judges
4
: a cutting or violent criticism
5

slam

3 of 3

noun (2)

Examples of slam in a Sentence

Verb He slammed the door in my face. She slammed the drawer shut. He stepped inside and let the door slam behind him. In her anger, she slammed the ball against the fence. The car slid on the ice and slammed into a tree. Her arm slammed against the table. Noun (1) gave the stubborn nail one last slam with the hammer shut the door with a loud slam sported a gang tattoo on his arm that had gotten him plenty of respect in the slam the sudden slam of my head against the trunk of the car
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.
Verb
Despite its popularity, some critics have slammed the show's portrayal of women. Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024 Nick Jonas interview:Singer reflects on fatherhood, grief while promoting 'The Good Half' Fans slam Nick Jonas for Elon Musk post Several users took to the comments section to criticize Jonas' post, speculating the pop star is a supporter of Musk and his political ally Trump. Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
But in the bottom of the inning, Gavin Lux walked, Tommy Edman hit an infield single and Mookie Betts was intentionally walked, setting the stage for Freeman’s heroics. Nestor Cortes, who hadn’t pitched since Sept. 18 due to an elbow injury, gave up the slam and took the loss for New York. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 26 Oct. 2024 Bid three diamonds, planning to support hearts next, showing slam interest and club shortness. Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for slam 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian slamre to bang, Swedish slamra to rattle

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1691, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Noun (1)

1672, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slam was in 1660

Dictionary Entries Near slam

Cite this Entry

“Slam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slam. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

slam

1 of 2 verb
slammed; slamming
1
: to strike or beat hard
2
: to shut with force and noise : bang
slammed the door
3
: to set or slap down violently or noisily
slammed the books down on the table
4
: to make a banging noise
5
: to criticize harshly

slam

2 of 2 noun
1
: a heavy blow
2
a
: a noisy violent closing
b
: a banging noise especially from the slamming of a door
3
: a cutting or violent criticism

More from Merriam-Webster on slam

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!