as in slap
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered a quick spank to the child's bottom for disobedience
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of spank
Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2024
Monroe grabbed him, gave him a spank and sent him back on course.
—Steve Knopper, Billboard, 6 Apr. 2022
Shania Russell, EW.com, 3 Oct. 2024
One family member told the Los Angeles Times in 1990 that their father never spanked them as children, but other relatives stood by the brothers.
—Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spank 
Noun
Inter Miami underlined its status as MLS favorites with a 5-0 home spank of rival Orlando City Saturday on two goals apiece from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, leaving the Herons unbeaten (two wins, one draw) in three games.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2024
Monroe grabbed him, gave him a spank and sent him back on course.
—Steve Knopper, Billboard, 6 Apr. 2022
Verb
Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter Fans of American Horror Story: Asylum won’t be too scandalized by the cut spanking scene — beyond being a plausible incident, spanking was a common occurrence in the show’s sophomore outing.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 3 Oct. 2024
One family member told the Los Angeles Times in 1990 that their father never spanked them as children, but other relatives stood by the brothers.
—Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spank
Noun
-
Normally, anyone walking into a cellar with an eight-figure check is going to expect to set some of the terms of the deal, so the sheer ego slap delivered by the take-it-or-leave-it nature of the offer cleared a host of private buyers from the table.Josh Condon, Robb Report, 8 Dec. 2024
-
This is yet another tone-deaf slap in the face from our out-of-touch public utilities.Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 12 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
With the score sitting at 14-10, Crabb smacked the ball at Banesh who parried it, his touch giving Partain the option to pass it back to his teammate.Aaron Heisen, Orange County Register, 9 Nov. 2024
-
Nobody will mind if they get smacked in the head by a selfie stick, or buzzed by a drone.Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 9 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
The White Sox have a major need for power hitting as Jose Abreu, Eloy Jimenez and Yoan Moncada are gone and Andrew Vaughn appears to have misplaced his thump.Phil Rogers, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
-
Ariel remembered telling Maricela to hurry and then feeling a whoosh and hearing a thump behind him.Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
In a battle, Swanson, 41, knocked Billy Quarantillo out cold.Brian Mazique, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
-
The losses continued under Mancini in the autumn of 2023 until a win in a World Cup qualifier against Pakistan started an eight-game unbeaten run that lasted until South Korea knocked them out of the Asia Cup on penalties.Matt Slater, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
But Manchin raced across town from a previous engagement to deliver the fatal blow, 50-49.Axios, Axios, 12 Dec. 2024
-
The Kremlin will fight to retain influence in Syria but the loss of its client state deals another blow to Putin.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
That continued Sunday when Matthew Wright’s game-winning field goal banged off the left upright and through the goalposts for a 19-17 victory with no time remaining.Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 9 Dec. 2024
-
Next is the strength and coordination mentioned above, which is when your little one starts holding two objects and banging them together.Alyssa Sybertz, Parents, 2 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
That sum is almost entirely made up of streaming activity, as millions of Americans play his biggest holiday hits on sites like Spotify.Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
-
Brown was called up after Bouchard missed the end of Thursday’s game in Minnesota following a hit by Wild forward Ryan Hartman late in the third period.Daniel Nugent-Bowman, The Athletic, 15 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Unusually fierce December winds whipping across the Île de la Cité, flanked by the River Seine, forced all the events inside.Thomas Adamson and John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
-
As the wind can really whip between buildings in the winter, a thick wool coat like this Cole Haan trench coat now 38 percent off, will keep you warm while walking.Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near spank
Cite this Entry
“Spank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spank. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share