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Synonyms

slap in the face

Idioms  

  1. 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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The decision was a "slap in the face to the people of Epping", said shadow interior minister Chris Philp.

From Barron's • Nov. 11, 2025

I see it as a slap in the face.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

"After paying into the system for so long, Universal Credit feels like a slap in the face," he added.

From BBC • Aug. 7, 2025

I’m like, “Guys, that’s a slap in the face to when I’m putting three, four hours in at Starbucks, working on the writing and making sure the punch lines are all there.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2025

His question struck me like a slap in the face.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

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.