whacking

American  

[hwak-ing, wak-] / ˈʰwæk ɪŋ, ˈwæk- /

adjective

Informal.

1. large.

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whacking British  

/ ˈwækɪŋ /

adjective

1. enormous

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adverb

1. (intensifier)

   a whacking big lie

Etymology

Origin of whacking

First recorded in 1800–10; whack + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Markets are treading water due to other concerns too—notably private credit and ongoing fears about artificial intelligence whacking software and services companies.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

From repeatedly whacking steel with a heavy hammer to sitting sweat-drenched by a hearth for hours, the daily grind of blademaking is also not for the faint-hearted.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

But Root held his nerve, whacking a six and a four to regain control and Sam Hain struck the winning runs with a ball to spare.

From BBC • Aug. 24, 2025

In the third, after the Cardinals leveled the score on Nolan Gorman’s two-run homer off Emmet Sheehan an inning earlier, Muncy went deep again, whacking an elevated fastball 404 feet for a two-run blast.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2025

I already managed to get Bryce and Aurora out the door on time, even though Bryce kept whacking things with his lightsaber every time I turned my back.

From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden