clap

¹ American  

[klap] / klæp /

verb (used with object)

• claps,
  present (3rd person singular)
• clapped,
  past participle,  past
• clapping
  present participle

1. to strike the palms of (one's hands) against one another resoundingly, and usually repeatedly, especially to express approval.

   She clapped her hands in appreciation.

2. to strike (someone) amicably with a light, open-handed slap, as in greeting, encouragement, or the like.

   He clapped his friend on the back.

3. to strike (an object) against something quickly and forcefully, producing an abrupt, sharp sound, or a series of such sounds.

   to clap a book on the table.

4. to bring together forcefully (facing surfaces of the same object).

   She clapped the book shut.

5. to applaud (a performance, speech, speaker, etc.) by clapping the hands.

   The audience clapped the actors at the end of the act.

6. to put or place quickly or forcefully: She clapped her hand over his mouth.

   Can you clap a lid on that jar?

   She clapped her hand over his mouth.

   They clapped him in jail.

7. to make or arrange hastily (often followed by together orup ).

   He clapped together dinner from stuff in the pantry and leftovers from the fridge.

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verb (used without object)

• claps,
  present (3rd person singular)
• clapped,
  past participle,  past
• clapping
  present participle

1. to clap the hands, as to express approval; applaud.

   After the audience stopped clapping, the tenor sang two encores.

2. to make an abrupt, sharp sound, as of flat surfaces striking against one another.

   The shutters clapped in the wind.

3. to move or strike with such a sound.

   She clapped across the room in her slippers.

noun

1. an act or instance of clapping.

2. the abrupt, sharp sound produced by clapping.

3. a resounding blow; slap.

4. a loud and abrupt or explosive noise, as of thunder.

5. a sudden stroke, blow, or act.

6. Printing. clapper.

7. Obsolete. a sudden mishap.

verb phrase

1. clap back see clapback.

idioms

1. clap eyes on. eye.

2. clap hold of, to take hold of.

clap ² American  

[klap] / klæp /

noun

Slang: Vulgar.

1. Often the clap gonorrhea.

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clap ¹ British  

/ klæp /

verb

1. to make or cause to make a sharp abrupt sound, as of two nonmetallic objects struck together

2. to applaud (someone or something) by striking the palms of the hands together sharply

3. (tr) to strike (a person) lightly with an open hand, in greeting, encouragement, etc

4. (tr) to place or put quickly or forcibly

   they clapped him into jail

5. (of certain birds) to flap (the wings) noisily

6. (tr; foll by up or together) to contrive or put together hastily

   they soon clapped up a shed

7. informal to catch sight of

8. informal to grasp suddenly or forcibly

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noun

1. the sharp abrupt sound produced by striking the hands together

2. the act of clapping, esp in applause

   he deserves a good clap

3. a sudden sharp sound, esp of thunder

4. a light blow

5. archaic a sudden action or mishap

clap ² British  

/ klæp /

noun

1. a slang word for gonorrhoea

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• clapping
  present
• clapped
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• clap
  simple
• claps
  simple
• have clapped
  perfect
• has clapped
  perfect
• am clapping
  progressive
• are clapping
  progressive
• is clapping
  progressive
• have been clapping
  perfect progressive
• has been clapping
  perfect progressive

Past

• clapped
  simple
• had clapped
  perfect
• was clapping
  progressive
• were clapping
  progressive
• had been clapping
  perfect progressive

Future

• will clap
  simple
• will have clapped
  perfect
• will be clapping
  progressive
• will have been clapping
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of clap¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English clappen, Old English clæppan; cognate with Middle Low German kleppen

Origin of clap²

First recorded in 1580–90; akin to Middle French clapoir “bubo,” clapier “brothel,” Old Provençal clapier “warren”

Explanation

To clap is to strike your hands together. After an awesome play, an audience will clap and maybe even stand up and hoot. A clap is also any loud or sharp noise or collision, like a clap of thunder. After you see a performance, it's polite to clap — smack your hands together quickly and repeatedly. To clap also means to put something down quickly and with force, like if you clap a plate on a table. Any sharp, loud sound is a clap, like a clap caused by an explosion. Clapping two objects together quickly will cause a clap. All types of claps and clapping involve sharp movements and loud sounds.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

clap claps clapped clapping

All you have to do is clap your hands and believe!

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

With a resounding clap from participants around the room, I came back to reality.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Music is embedded in our brains and in our bodies, expressed with every rhythmic breath and step we take, each time we clap our hands, stomp our feet, beat our chests, whistle, hum or sing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

"There was a few people that did clap, but not that many because I think everyone was just relieved to be on the ground," he said.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

“That’s right!” a gummy-mouthed man says as the others clap and cheer.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

“Feels great,” one of the men coming off the ship said to claps and cheers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

A powerhouse version of Dangerous Woman claps like thunder; and Grande's vocal riffs on Safety Net are so tremendously colossal they should be registered as the eighth wonder of the world.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Anderson stops at second base, claps his hands four times, then stands there quietly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2026

Her poised smile and claps resemble her father’s gestures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 28, 2026

He moves over, and when I sit down next to him he claps a hand on my shoulder.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

"To my wife and children, I love you. Goodbye," the PM said, before several MPs stood up and clapped for Starmer as he went to shake the Speaker of the House of Commons' hand.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

When Verdugo appointed himself mayor, the audience whooped and clapped.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

The ex-Manchester mayor was clapped and cheered as some 200 Labour MPs welcomed him back to parliament after a nine-year absence for his swearing in on Monday, hours after Starmer tendered his resignation.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

One star seemed genuinely enthralled that people recognized her and clapped when she came out, the other one seemed like he couldn’t get out of the show fast enough and get back to bed.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026

Ella clapped excitedly as lightning bolt-shaped cracks spread across the shell.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

There was a telltale uncanniness to it—people clapping too slowly, as if underwater—but there was no disclaimer that it was fake.

From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026

They stood onstage in a circle, clapping out the permutations of shifting meters—7 beats, 6 beats, or 5—that shape the three sections of a then-brand-new piece, “Fluoroscope.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

With Boro leading 1-0 in the 80th minute through a Lankshear goal, the striker slowly jogged off the pitch while clapping the fans.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Dallas Wing guard Paige Bueckers and Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün are among the other players who have been assessed technical fouls this season for clapping after a play.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

Although the song does have quite a few words, the refrain is repetitive with only three words, and provides two empty beats for clapping or playing an instrument.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• bang
• cheer
• pat
• slap