slam
1 Americanverb (used with or without object)
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to shut with force and noise.
to slam the door.
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to dash, strike, knock, thrust, throw, slap down, etc., with violent and noisy impact.
He slammed his books upon the table.
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Informal. to criticize harshly; attack verbally.
He slammed my taste mercilessly.
noun
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a violent and noisy closing, dashing, or impact.
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the noise so made.
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Slang. Usually the slam slammer.
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Informal. a harsh criticism; verbal attack.
I am sick of your slams.
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Informal.
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Also called poetry slam. a competitive, usually boisterous poetry reading.
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a usually competitive performance involving multiple performers with short acts: a tap dance slam.
puppet slams;
a tap dance slam.
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noun
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the winning or bidding of all the tricks or all the tricks but one in a deal.
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an old type of card game associated with ruff.
verb
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to cause (a door or window) to close noisily and with force or (of a door, etc) to close in this way
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(tr) to throw (something) down noisily and violently
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slang (tr) to criticize harshly
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informal (intr; usually foll by into or out of) to go (into or out of a room, etc) in violent haste or anger
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(tr) to strike with violent force
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informal (tr) to defeat easily
noun
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the act or noise of slamming
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slang harsh criticism or abuse
noun
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the winning of all (grand slam) or all but one (little slam or small slam) of the 13 tricks at bridge or whist
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the bid to do so in bridge See grand slam little slam
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an old card game
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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slamsimple
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slamssimple
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have slammedperfect
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has slammedperfect
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am slammingprogressive
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are slammingprogressive
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is slammingprogressive
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have been slammingperfect progressive
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has been slammingperfect progressive
Past
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slammedsimple
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had slammedperfect
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was slammingprogressive
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were slammingprogressive
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had been slammingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of slam1
First recorded in 1650–60; perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish slamra “to bang (a door), slam”
Origin of slam2
First recorded in 1660–70; perhaps special use of slam 1
Explanation
To slam is to close something forcefully and loudly, like when you slam your door angrily, or slam the freezer door quickly so your sister won't see the ice cream sandwiches you bought. If you slam your finger in the door, it's going to hurt. And, if you slam your backpack onto the table, you may damage your laptop. The word slam implies violence and force. As a noun, a slam is the action or sound of slamming something. There's also a "poetry slam," when poets compete by reciting their work in front of an audience, and slam-dancing, also known as moshing, in which dancers slam into each other.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is the first time Fery, who was watched on by the Princess of Wales for part of his match, has reached the third round of a Grand Slam.
From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion did not speak to the media following the match, with Wimbledon organisers saying she was "not able to undertake" her duties.
From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026
The duo has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, including six at Wimbledon.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026
It represented a "full-circle moment" for the 27-year-old, who claimed her first Grand Slam main-draw win against the same opponent at Wimbledon in 2018.
From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026
That’s the word and I know it the same way I know my tag, Slam.
From "Slam!" by Walter Dean Myers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
