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
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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
Related Words
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.
"He does what he wants and sometimes gets a slap on the wrist, so why would he change?"
From BBC • May 18, 2026
Vegas would later go down a man as well, losing Dorofeyev for much of the second period after he was drilled by a Jackson LaCombe slap shot.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
After a prolonged legal battle between Elon Musk and U.S. regulators over his past purchase of Twitter shares, the technology CEO is getting off with little more than a slap on the wrist.
From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026
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
“Let us go over the details once more,” announced Mr. Pinkerton, sweeping into the room with a friendly nod in Aunt Kitty’s direction and a hearty slap on the back for Mr. Bangs.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
