slap

1 of 4

verb

slapped; slapping

transitive verb

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

slap

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
a
: a blow with the open hand
b
: a quick sharp blow
2
: a noise like that of a slap
3

slap

3 of 4

adverb

slap

4 of 4

noun (2)

dialectal British
Phrases
slap on the wrist
: a gentle usually ineffectual reprimand

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
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
Universal Genève wasn’t just some funky, old-school Swiss brand with a cool logo to slap onto a modern watch for the nostalgic set. Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 20 Nov. 2024 Voice 1: Everybody was trying to get people’s attention, like, hey, here comes the wave, and then the first one kind of slapped against the door. Outside Online, 13 Nov. 2024
Noun
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 The slap heard around the world is still ringing out. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for slap 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

akin to Low German slapp, noun blow

Adverb

probably from Low German slapp, from slapp, noun

Noun (2)

Middle English slop, from Middle Dutch; akin to Middle Dutch slippen to slip

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (1)

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Adverb

1672, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slap was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near slap

Cite this Entry

“Slap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slap. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

slap

1 of 3 noun
1
: 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 adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on slap

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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