slap

¹ American  

[slap] / slæp /

noun

1. a sharp blow or smack, especially with the open hand or with something flat.

2. a sound made by or as if by such a blow or smack.

   the slap of the waves against the dock.

3. a sharply worded or sarcastic rebuke or comment.

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verb (used with object)

slapped, slapping

1. to strike sharply, especially with the open hand or with something flat.

2. to bring (the hand, something flat, etc.) with a sharp blow against something.

3. to dash or cast forcibly.

   He slapped the package against the wall.

4. to put or place promptly and sometimes haphazardly (often followed byon ).

   The officer slapped a ticket on the car. He slapped mustard on the sandwich.

adverb

1. Informal. directly; straight; smack.

   The tug rammed slap into the side of the freighter.

verb phrase

1. slap down

   1. to subdue, especially by a blow or by force; suppress.

   2. to reject, oppose, or criticize sharply.

      to slap down dissenting voices.

idioms

1. slap on the wrist, relatively mild criticism or censure.

   He got away with a slap on the wrist.

slap ² American  

[slap] / slæp /

noun

1. a gap or opening, as in a fence, wall, cloud bank, or line of troops.

2. a mountain pass.

3. a wound or gash.

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verb (used with object)

slapped, slapping

1. to make a gap or opening in; breach.

slap British  

/ slæp /

noun

1. a sharp blow or smack, as with the open hand, something flat, etc

2. the sound made by or as if by such a blow

3. a sharp rebuke; reprimand

4. informal sexual play

5. an insult or rebuff

6. congratulation

7. a light punishment or reprimand

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verb

1. (tr) to strike (a person or thing) sharply, as with the open hand or something flat

2. (tr) to bring down (the hand, something flat, etc) sharply

3. to strike (something) with or as if with a slap

4. informal (tr) to apply in large quantities, haphazardly, etc

   she slapped butter on the bread

5. to congratulate

adverb

1. exactly; directly

   slap on time

2. forcibly or abruptly

   to fall slap on the floor

Related Words

See blow ¹.

Other Word Forms

• slapper noun

Etymology

Origin of slap¹

First recorded in 1625–35; from Low German slapp(e); of expressive origin

Origin of slap²

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English slop(e) “inroad made into enemy ranks,” from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German; cognate with German Schlupf “hiding place”

Explanation

To slap someone is to hit them with the palm of your open hand. It's not nice to slap your sister, no matter how mad you are. A smack or open-handed blow is a slap, and you can also describe the sound it makes—or a similar sound—as a slap. You could describe the slap of water against the side of your rowboat, or say that your mom slaps her magazine against the table when she's done reading. Slap is also an informal adverb, meaning "immediately" or "directly:" "Sneaking out of class, he ran slap into the principal."

Example Sentences

But M23 troops kept advancing even after the accord, leading the United States to condemn Rwanda and slap sanctions in March on the Rwandan military.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

"Going viral was just such a slap in the face. Like, 'Oh my gosh, this can't be ignored any more. People are actually listening'."

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

If those words mean anything, the school will identify the students who disrupted the event and hand them more than a slap on the wrist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Hope Ngumezi, Porsha Ngumezi’s husband, said the board’s order felt like “a slap in the face.”

From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026

I slap at her hand, my eyes trained on Dad and the agents.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Related Words

• blip
• blow
• pat
• punch
• whack