smackdown

noun

smack·​down ˈsmak-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce smackdown (audio)
1
: the act of knocking down or bringing down an opponent
2
: a contest in entertainment wrestling
3
: a decisive defeat
4
: a confrontation between rivals or competitors

Examples of smackdown in a Sentence

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.
Who would win in a box-office smackdown between Superman and the Fantastic Four? Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 27 July 2025 What motivated him instead was what now seems to have been inevitable given these two men’s personalities: the opportunity for a smackdown. Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2025 Conservationists won an epic battle against logging because of these owls, only to see their habitat becoming the arena for an owl-on-owl smackdown. Mitch Friedman, Denver Post, 10 June 2025 Florida took a 1-0 lead this week with a smackdown on road ice. Chris Branch, New York Times, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for smackdown

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of smackdown was in 1931

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Cite this Entry

“Smackdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smackdown. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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