Showing results for "slap"

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Slang dictionary results for slap.

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

Synonym Usage

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

See Examples For:

slap slapped slapping

The move was described as a "slap in the face" by openly gay footballer Jake Daniels, who had received a message of support from Henderson when he came out.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Section 301 has also opened the door to new country-specific tariffs targeted at Brazil, at 25%, while Section 338 was cited to slap an extra 50% import tax on certain Canadian goods.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

Washington this week indicated it would slap new restrictions on Iran’s economy in the coming days.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

“They just slap you across the face with their style and with their relevancy,” extols Meyers of the poems.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

My skin turns clammy and my stupid butterflies slap at my insides again.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Stellantis last year unveiled plans to shift the production of its next-generation Jeep Compass to Illinois from Brampton after the Trump administration slapped steep tariffs on foreign-made cars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

Before the face-off, security confiscated an egg Garcia had tucked into his pocket, potentially preventing a repeat of last year's incident when Chris Eubank Jr slapped Benn across the face with one.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

And short of guaranteeing that someone gets slapped across the face every year, count on the Oscars to try to regain its distinction while courting viewers however possible.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026

Also as a result of her piece, she was slapped with a one-million-dollar libel suit, subpoenaed as a witness in a liquor laws case against the Playboy Club, and received “obscene and threatening” calls.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

Jonah put the cap back on the marker, peeled the backing off the name tag, and slapped it on his chest.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Another pressure putt from the pumped-up Ciganda on the 14th gave them a two-hole lead, the Spaniard slapping her chest to whip up the boisterous Dutch crowd.

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

The crowd had made its allegiances clear after a fiery build-up which included Itauma shoving Hrgovic, the Zagreb man slapping him back and plenty of verbal sparring.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

Already, Skubal’s joining in on pregame handshake lines and slapping the dugout railing in time to Roki Sasaki’s warm-up music.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Too many, I’d say, but slapping droning voiceovers atop expository visuals isn’t for me.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

Then people were congratulating me and slapping me on the back.

From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm

Related Words

• blip
• blow
• pat
• punch
• whack