smack

1 of 7

noun (1)

ˈsmak 

1

: characteristic taste or flavor

also : a perceptible taste or tincture

2

: a small quantity

smack

2 of 7

verb (1)

smacked; smacking; smacks

intransitive verb

1

: to have a taste or flavor

2

: to have a trace, vestige, or suggestion

a proposal that smacks of treason

smack

3 of 7

noun (2)

: a sailing ship (such as a sloop or cutter) used chiefly in coasting and fishing

smack

4 of 7

verb (2)

smacked; smacking; smacks

transitive verb

1

: to close and open (lips) noisily and often in rapid succession especially in eating

2

a

: to kiss with or as if with a smack

b

: to strike so as to produce a smack

intransitive verb

: to make or give a smack

smack

5 of 7

noun (3)

1

: a quick sharp noise made by rapidly compressing and opening the lips

2

: a loud kiss

3

: a sharp slap or blow

4

US, informal : boastful or insulting language especially between opponents : smack talk, trash talk

—usually used in the phrase talk smack

The college basketball season is barely a month old, yet the top two candidates for national player of the year are already talking smack.

—Grant Wahl

smack

6 of 7

adverb

: squarely and sharply : directly

smack in the middle

smack

7 of 7

noun (4)

slang

: heroin

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• splash
• shred
• sprinkling
• glimmer
• touch
• hint
• bit
• speck
• little
• lick
• dab
• tad

Verb (2)

• slap
• hit
• knock
• punch
• bang
• slam
• clap
• whack
• strike
• swipe

Noun (3)

• slap
• blow
• thump
• punch
• hit
• thud
• knock
• whack
• swipe
• poke
• spank
• stroke
• pound
• lick
• bang
• slam
• beat

Examples of smack in a Sentence

Noun (1)

add just a smack of vanilla to the whipped cream and the dessert will be perfect

Verb (2)

he smacked the punching bag one final time before heading to the showers

Noun (3)

the cook gave him a smack on the wrist when he tried to sneak an early taste of the sauce

Adverb

She dropped the book smack in the middle of the table.

The ball hit me smack in the face.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Lazarus is comfortable knowing that his sardonic smack-talking can only give Belichick, and the team, more motivational fodder for next season. —Sean Gregory, Time, 3 Sep. 2025

Trump’s tariffs will grab back half of those savings via the $200 billion–plus tariff smack in 2026. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025

Verb

The raw tuna got smacked with a Stop Sale. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025

As of this publication, the final Conjuring movie starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren lands smack dab in the middle of the best and worst rated Conjuring Cinematic Universe films on Rotten Tomatoes. —Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Adverb

Pache, racing around third trying to score the winner, ran smack into teammate Ildemaro Vargas, who had run onto the field (with a phone, ostensibly to record the celebration) to meet the runner at home. —Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025

Correa talked smack, ate, talked more smack and then headed to the batting cages to warm up. —Dan Hayes, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English smæc; akin to Old High German smac taste and probably to Lithuanian smaguris sweet tooth

Noun (2)

Dutch smak or Low German smack

Verb (2)

akin to Middle Dutch smacken to strike

Noun (4)

perhaps from Yiddish shmek sniff, whiff, pinch (of snuff)

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1533, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1557, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (3)

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1782, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

circa 1960, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing smack

• smack-dab
• smack of
• smack one's lips
• smack talk

Rhymes for smack

• ack
• brack
• clack
• crack
• dak
• flack
• flak
• hack
• jack
• knack
• lac
• lack

Kids Definition

smack

1 of 5 noun

ˈsmak 

1

: characteristic or slight taste or flavor

2

: a small quantity

smack

2 of 5 verb

: to have a flavor, trace, or suggestion

smack

3 of 5 verb

1

: to close and open the lips noisily especially in eating

2

: to kiss usually loudly

3

: to make or give a sharp slap or blow

smack

4 of 5 noun

1

: a quick sharp noise made by rapidly opening and closing the lips

2

: a loud kiss

3

: a sharp slap or blow

smack

5 of 5 adverb

: in a square and sharp manner : directly

hit me smack in the face

Etymology

Noun

Old English smæc "a characteristic taste or flavor"