Showing Results for "whack"

See Also:

• a variation of wack.

whack

¹ American  

[hwak, wak] / ʰwæk, wæk /

verb (used with object)

whacks, present (3rd person singular) whacked, past participle, past whacking present participle

1. to strike with a smart, resounding blow or blows.

2. Slang. to divide into or take in shares (often followed byup ).

   Whack the loot between us two.

---

verb (used without object)

whacks, present (3rd person singular) whacked, past participle, past whacking present participle

1. to strike a smart, resounding blow or blows.

noun

1. a smart, resounding blow.

   a whack with his hand.

2. Informal. a trial or attempt.

   to take a whack at a job.

   Synonyms:

   turn, go, try

3. Slang. a portion or share.

verb phrase

1. whack out to produce quickly or, sometimes, carelessly.

   She whacks out a short story every week or so.

2. whack off

   1. to cut off or separate with a blow.

      The cook whacked off the fish's head.

   2. Slang: Vulgar. to masturbate.

idioms

1. out of whack, out of order or alignment; not in proper condition.

whack ² American  

[hwak, wak] / ʰwæk, wæk /

noun

1. a variant of wack.

---

whack British  

/ wæk /

verb

1. to strike with a sharp resounding blow

2. informal (usually passive) to exhaust completely

3. informal (tr; usu foll by in or on) to put something on to or into something else with force or abandon

   whack on some sunscreen

---

noun

1. slang (tr) to murder

   if you were out of line you got whacked

2. a sharp resounding blow or the noise made by such a blow

3. informal a share or portion

4. informal a try or attempt (esp in the phrase have a whack at )

5. informal out of order; unbalanced

   the whole system is out of whack

interjection

1. an exclamation imitating the noise of a sharp resounding blow

whack More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing whack

• have a crack (whack) at
• out of kilter (whack)

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• whacker
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have whacked
  perfect
• has whacked
  perfect 3rd person singular
• am whacking
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been whacking
  perfect progressive
• has been whacking
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is whacking
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are whacking
  progressive
• whacks
  singular 3rd person
• whacking
  participle

Past

• had whacked
  perfect
• were whacking
  progressive plural
• was whacking
  progressive singular
• had been whacking
  perfect progressive
• whacked
  simple
• whacked
  participle

Future

• will whack
  simple
• will have whacked
  perfect
• will have been whacking
  perfect progressive
• will be whacking
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of whack

First recorded in 1710–20; originally dialect, Scots form of thwack; cf. whang ², whittle

Example Sentences

The bad news boomerang of Lord Mandelson's appointment continues to whizz around and whack this government at regular intervals - and inflict ongoing headaches.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

A bright sky is a signal that it’s daytime, so getting that signal at night throws all of that out of whack.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Trump later told reporters that a gunman he described as a "lone wolf" and a "whack job" had charged through security screening just outside the ballroom.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

Torsten Slok, Apollo chief Economist, thinks something is out of whack in the Treasury market.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

She got the first and biggest share of everything—the first whack at the new clothes and the biggest part of any special treat.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers

Related Words

• wallop