slap in the face

Idioms

A sharp rebuke or rebuff, as in Being criticized in front of my staff was a real slap in the face, or We thought it quite a slap in the face when they returned our letter unopened. The figurative use of this term, which can also refer to a literal blow, dates from the late 1800s.

Example Sentences

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slap in the face

The source described Saturday's visit to Moscow's traditional ally as a "slap in the face for the Russians".

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

She said: "It makes me feel sick. Andrew's life doesn't get to come back. It feels like a slap in the face and an insult."

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

If they return, it is more than a slap in the face of every sane and thoughtful Angeleno.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

It turns your gift into a slap in the face with a wet fish.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 13, 2026

He took her decision to stay in the States as a slap in the face.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

slap in the face

Example Sentences

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