slap
1 Americannoun
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a sharp blow or smack, especially with the open hand or with something flat.
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a sound made by or as if by such a blow or smack.
the slap of the waves against the dock.
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a sharply worded or sarcastic rebuke or comment.
verb (used with object)
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to strike sharply, especially with the open hand or with something flat.
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to bring (the hand, something flat, etc.) with a sharp blow against something.
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to dash or cast forcibly.
He slapped the package against the wall.
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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
verb phrase
idioms
noun
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a gap or opening, as in a fence, wall, cloud bank, or line of troops.
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a mountain pass.
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a wound or gash.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a sharp blow or smack, as with the open hand, something flat, etc
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the sound made by or as if by such a blow
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a sharp rebuke; reprimand
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informal sexual play
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an insult or rebuff
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congratulation
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a light punishment or reprimand
verb
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(tr) to strike (a person or thing) sharply, as with the open hand or something flat
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(tr) to bring down (the hand, something flat, etc) sharply
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to strike (something) with or as if with a slap
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informal (tr) to apply in large quantities, haphazardly, etc
she slapped butter on the bread
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to congratulate
adverb
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exactly; directly
slap on time
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forcibly or abruptly
to fall slap on the floor
Synonym Usage
See blow 1.
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It’s a stinging insult: By the samurai code, Kanbei should be killed, not imprisoned — Murashige couldn’t have landed a more devastating slap than by letting him live.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
"For them to say there's not really enough evidence, I think for me and my parents, it's a bit of a slap in the face, really," says Zak.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 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
Now that he had data, Dorr was relentless about getting it in the hands of people who could slap the line on more roads.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
He could still feel the slap of the river, and hear his rasping breath – but his eyes were open and staring, and he couldn’t see.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
I was slapped with a bill for $1,022 for this year’s tests.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
The label gets slapped on funds that do not agree on what “green” or “responsible” even means, and two ESG funds can hold completely different companies.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
As part of a major push to target big tech abuses, the EU slapped the Mountain View company with fines worth a total of 8.2 billion euros between 2017 and 2019 over antitrust violations.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
Promotional material for the tumbler had the phrase "tak on the table!" in Korean, using a word that sounds like an object being slapped on a table.
From BBC ● May 19, 2026
Still, hadn’t those admirals back at Sayda Bay told him not to let his cheek be slapped?
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
“Science class starts… NOW!” the company posted on Facebook, noting that a moose has 6-foot antlers “for defending territory,” while a beaver has a flat tail “for slapping water.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Brussels has also taken several steps to protect its market from what it describes as unfair Chinese competition, including slapping extra levies on small parcels from China.
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
Marc Leonard, summoning every ounce of venom he could muster, thumped one on goal and it came slapping back off the crossbar.
From BBC ● Apr. 26, 2026
The finish was epitomized in the final minutes when, leading by five, Smart had a lunging, slapping steal before throwing a perfect bounce pass to a driving James, who finished with a dunk.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026
Here the wind was sharp, slapping their cheeks pink.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
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.
