1
as in indictment
a formal claim of criminal wrongdoing against a person
the headlines in the paper today are all about the mayor facing an embezzlement rap
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
the doctor used a little hammer to give me a rap on the knee to test my reflexes
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3
as in blame
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
would sooner take the rap for the missing money than tell on his friend
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in chat
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this
after our pickup softball game, I had a friendly rap with a couple of the guys in the park
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as in damn
the smallest amount or part imaginable
I don't care a rap about losing that old jacket
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1
as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
a childhood memory of the time he got his knuckles rapped for trying to steal candy from the corner store
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2
as in to drum
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically
the impatient man was rapping his knuckles on the door, hoping to wake up the sleeping attendant
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as in to chat
to engage in casual or rambling conversation
the guys at the gym never seem to tire about rapping about basketball
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1
as in to entrance
to fill with overwhelming emotion (as wonder or delight)
concertgoers were utterly rapped by the power of Handel's oratorio
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2
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
suddenly the hawk swooped down and rapped the unwary rodent
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rap
Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2026
Reyes debuted the iconic rap posse Cypress Hill in 1991 along with B-Real (Louis Freese) and producer DJ Muggs (Lawrence Muggerud).
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 2 June 2026
Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
Jarico Anderson, who raps under the stage name Dreamllife Rizzy, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, court records show.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rap
Noun
His legacy as one of rap’s great subliminal assassins is one of the most impressive parts of his career.
—Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2026
Reyes debuted the iconic rap posse Cypress Hill in 1991 along with B-Real (Louis Freese) and producer DJ Muggs (Lawrence Muggerud).
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 2 June 2026
Verb
Police said he had been removed from admittance because all available seats were taken, prompting Loevy to rap on the building’s glass entrance door, which broke.
—Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
Jarico Anderson, who raps under the stage name Dreamllife Rizzy, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, court records show.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rap
Noun
-
Even before his conviction, his 2024 indictment spooked the industry and led some short sellers to beef up legal disclaimers.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
-
His attorney, Mike Howard, said after the indictment that the defense believes prosecutors will be unable to eliminate reasonable doubt about whether Anthony acted to protect himself during the encounter.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Shutting down Logan would be another blow to the Lincoln area after the closures of Lincoln College and Lincoln Christian University, and other businesses and facilities over the years.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
-
Earlier in the day, the Marlins were dealt another blow to their rotation when it was announced that top prospect Thomas White is expected to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a left shoulder capsular sprain last month.—
Tyler Carmona,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Instead, sources say, Netanyahu lays the blame at the feet of the US negotiators – Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff – for steering the president toward an end to the hostilities.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
-
Gorman’s death quickly became a lightning rod in the polarizing discourse over immigration policy, as national and local conservative politicians placed blame on the state’s sanctuary laws.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Please also chat with our team using the chat widget at the bottom right-hand corner of this page for the fastest support.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 June 2026
-
And yet, Chisholm’s chat with Fallon sparked some jokes and blowback after the host asked the colorful character what the Yankees’ ultimate goal is this season.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
In a world of drivers mostly ruled by their corporate sponsors, Busch was an otherworldly talent who simply did not give a damn.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
22 May 2026
-
In comedy, no one gives a damn.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The Rockies’ Kyle Karros hit an opposite-field line drive that carried to the right-field warning track, but Lee tracked down the potential extra-base hit on the run, then crashed into the chain-link portion of the fence.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
30 May 2026
-
The hitting coaches have been really emphasizing it.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Trump has worked ever since to drum the senator from office and recruited an opponent to run against him in this year's GOP primary.—
Eric McDaniel,
NPR,
30 May 2026
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The group, founded in 2004, delivers a mix of drumming/percussion, music and dancing that presents a contemporary take on the traditional music and dance of the Punjab region of India.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The person sometimes tries to talk to me about my good friend.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Washington Post,
2 June 2026
-
In a loss, OpenAI could face pressure to implement remedies like age-gating free ChatGPT accounts to protect kids, shutting down conversations that discuss violence and suicide, and removing features that the state says deceptively make ChatGPT feel like talking to a human.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rap. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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