1
as in smacks
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
she was so mad that she wanted to slap him right across the face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in insults
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in
tired of jokes that slap people of faith
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
doctors used to give newborns a light slap to get them to start breathing
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in offences
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
that comment is a slap to anyone who has ever served in the military
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slaps
Alexandra Hurtado, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Instead, Ted slaps him in the face, twice.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
Anthony thinks his fiancé wants a mother more than a partner, so Giuseppe slaps a pie into his face?
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2025
The main kid characters are teens navigating their parents getting remarried, so older children will be able to wrap their heads around that and are more apt to find that Anna's old band, Pink Slip, still slaps.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
David Amsden, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
They were then categorized by behavior, including jumps, belly rolls, tail slaps, bow riding and even petting.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
Belly, devastated by the betrayal, slaps Jeremiah and breaks up with him.
—Alexandra Hurtado, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Instead, Ted slaps him in the face, twice.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
Anthony thinks his fiancé wants a mother more than a partner, so Giuseppe slaps a pie into his face?
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2025
The main kid characters are teens navigating their parents getting remarried, so older children will be able to wrap their heads around that and are more apt to find that Anna's old band, Pink Slip, still slaps.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
Touted as the second-highest fine ever levied by the board, many observers struggled to view it as anything but the gentlest of wrist slaps.
—David Amsden, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
They were then categorized by behavior, including jumps, belly rolls, tail slaps, bow riding and even petting.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slaps
Verb
-
Andor hates him on sight, which only intensifies when Berend smacks around his mother and tears up the apartment looking for proof that Klára has deceived the boy with idealized fictions about his origins.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Vocals are sped up into squiggles, instruments are reversed and gated, percussion smacks you in the face and then suddenly vanishes.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In the case of Governor Pritzker insults his body, body shamed him.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
-
No matter how many times Putin insults the president and ignores his calls for a total ceasefire in Ukraine, Trump returns for more humiliation.—
Trudy Rubin,
Mercury News,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The blows come from front, back, and the demonstrator doesn’t seem to hold back even.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Frazier, though, was relentless, seeking a way inside Ali’s reach, driving blows into Ali’s ribs but moving too fast to get caught by the night-ender Ali had planned.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the video posted on the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Public Records Unit YouTube channel, Flores can be seen lifting his head up after an officer knocks on the driver's door window of his stationary vehicle.—
Alex Nitzberg,
FOXNews.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
However, this week’s knocks to Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe expedited his full debut.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Think of the chatbots that enrage customers, copy that erases brand voice, email that offends prospects, or sales outreach that overwhelms without engaging.—
Andrea Hill,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Ali was scoring plenty with jabs and flurries, but his attempts to land big punches mostly fell flat.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
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But as any fan of either show will tell you, both are adept at delivering emotional gut-punches that have been known to leave viewers in tears.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Capped at 50 members, the jury evaluates every new vehicle, technology and feature that hits the market annually.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Many of the answers to that question won’t be popular, but governments are aware of the need to address the issue before crisis hits.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Content that outrages, polarizes or triggers anxiety keeps us watching.—
Avital Pardo,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slaps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slaps. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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