as in sitting on
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
public protests against the dictatorial government were always promptly slapped down
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Recent Examples of slapping down
The production runs for 2026 and 2027 are sold out, but future flyers can jump in the queue for the 2028 build now by slapping down a deposit of US$8,000.
—
New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2025
New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapping down
Verb
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Government forces brought reinforcements into Suqaylabiyah, quelling the violence.—
Omar Albam,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
-
In December, the Mouse House pledged to invest $1 billion in OpenAI and entered a three-year licensing agreement for allowing over 200 Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars characters’ likenesses to be used in Sora, quelling some of the text-to-video app’s brushups with copyright law.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Their basic antitrust allegation was that NCAA member schools fixed prices by limiting the number of slots for coach employees, thus suppressing opportunities and wages.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
15 May 2026
-
Renovations of the House chamber will force members to meet at the Old State Capitol, where, decades ago, Mississippi lawmakers passed Jim Crow laws suppressing Black voting.—
Jack Brook,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Officers then shot her with a Taser, subduing her enough to take her into custody, police said.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
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Trump thought the Secret Service did an excellent job subduing the gunman but the White House is reviewing security for major events for the country's 250th anniversary.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Murillo-Ortega dictatorship has been accused of repressing the Nicaraguan people — especially Catholic and LGBTQ citizens.—
Jake Shore,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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People fed up with rolling blackouts have staged sporadic protests in recent days, banging pots and shouting slogans against the government, rare demonstrations in a country known for repressing dissent.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slapping down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slapping%20down. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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