slapped; slapping
1
a
: to strike sharply with or as if with the open hand
b
: to cause to strike with a motion or sound like that of a blow with the open hand
2
: to put, place, or throw with careless haste or force
slapped on a coat of paint
3
: to subject to a penalty
—usually used with with
slapped him with a $10 fine
4
: to assail verbally : insult
Synonyms
Verb
- bang
- bash
- bat
- belt
- biff
- bludgeon
- bob
- bonk
- bop
- box
- bust
- clap
- clip
- clobber
- clock
- clout
- crack
- hammer
- hit
- knock
- nail
- paste
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slog
- slug
- smack
- smite
- sock
- strike
- swat
- swipe
- tag
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- whack
- whale
- zap
Noun (1)
- bang
- bash
- bat
- beat
- belt
- biff
- blow
- bop
- box
- buffet
- bust
- chop
- clap
- clip
- clout
- crack
- cuff
- dab
- douse [British]
- fillip
- hack
- haymaker
- hit
- hook
- knock
- larrup [dialect]
- lash
- lick
- pelt
- pick
- plump
- poke
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slug
- smack
- smash
- sock
- spank
- stinger
- stripe
- stroke
- swat
- swipe
- switch
- thud
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- welt
- whack
- wham
- whop
- whap
Examples of slap in a Sentence
Verb
She slapped him across the face.
He slapped me on the back and said “Good job!”.
He called the dog by slapping his hand against his thigh.
Waves were slapping against the side of the boat.
Gentle waves slapped the side of the raft.
doctors used to give newborns a light slap to get them to start breathing
that comment is a slap to anyone who has ever served in the military
Adverb
I walked slap into the post.
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Block, The Atlantic, 30 Nov. 2024
The former president has promised to slap Canada, Mexico and China with high tariffs with the goal of using financial leverage for economic and political stability.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 30 Nov. 2024
Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
In a flash, Vinicius Jr appeared as a mirror image alongside him and, just after, Rodrygo did the same — but not before Antonio Rudiger’s own ritual of giving whoever has scored a (friendly) slap.
—Mario Cortegana, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for slap 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Beijing slapped punitive restrictions on many Australian exports.
—Daniel Block, The Atlantic, 30 Nov. 2024
The former president has promised to slap Canada, Mexico and China with high tariffs with the goal of using financial leverage for economic and political stability.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 30 Nov. 2024
Noun
Andrews collected the opening jump ball with a firm hand slap that could be heard in the upper reaches of the arena.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
In a flash, Vinicius Jr appeared as a mirror image alongside him and, just after, Rodrygo did the same — but not before Antonio Rudiger’s own ritual of giving whoever has scored a (friendly) slap.
—Mario Cortegana, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for slap
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Dictionary Entries Near slap
Cite this Entry
“Slap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slap. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
slap
1 of 3 noun1
: a quick sharp blow especially with the open hand
2
: a noise like that of a slap
slap
2 of 3 verb
slapped; slapping
1
a
: to strike with or as if with the open hand
b
: to make a sound like that of slapping
2
: to put, place, or throw with careless haste or force
slapped the book down on the desk
slap
3 of 3 adverbLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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