SLAPPING Synonyms: 162 Similar and Opposite Words

slapping

verb

present participle of slap

as in smacking

to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner she was so mad that she wanted to slap him right across the face

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in insulting

to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in tired of jokes that slap people of faith

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of slapping At the weigh-ins and face-off for the IBF heavyweight championship fight, Itauma shoved Hrgovic off the stage and the latter retaliated by slapping the former's face. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Already, Skubal’s joining in on pregame handshake lines and slapping the dugout railing in time to Roki Sasaki’s warm-up music. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Drake Baldwin led off for the Braves in Tuesday’s game and saw six straight fastballs from Glasnow before slapping a slider into right field for a single. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 That was enough to prevent the administration from slapping Apple with higher tariffs, bypassing a massive increase in production costs. — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026 The dispute turned physical when Domenech started punching and slapping Aballe, authorities said. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Universities are not just slapping corporate logos on uniforms and facilities but building entertainment districts that can be lucrative far beyond game days. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 Customs officials are generally only concerned with transshipment if there was little-to-no value added in the intermediate stop, essentially slapping a new label on a finished good. — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026 But in June, the Council passed a bill by Manhattan Democrat Gale Brewer re-authorizing the Sanitation Department to once again start slapping the overstaying cars with stickers. — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapping

Verb

Carrington was ejected from the game in the first half after smacking Cunningham across the face during Cunningham's layup attempt.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Catcher Daniel Susac followed up Wednesday’s two-home-run game by smacking a two-run shot, and the Giants bullpen didn’t break down while protecting a 4-1 victory.

— Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of smacking

Verb

The Fox morning show paid tribute to Leavitt with a video montage of her berating and insulting reporters from the White House podium.

— Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Iran's government denied involvement in the 2022 stabbing, but its Foreign Ministry's then-spokesperson suggested Rushdie invited trouble by insulting Islam.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026

Definition of insulting

Verb

Cook will be remembered for making the iPhone feel essential to everything from buying a coffee to listening to music, hitting the gym or paying a credit card bill.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Crow-Armstrong’s 38 blasts are tied with Kyle Schwarber (2019) for second-most by a left-handed-hitting Cub.

— Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of hitting

Verb

DeChatelet, an acting instructor at Florida Atlantic University, uses his halting speech to depict a person who’s afraid of offending anyone.

— Oline Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
The offending text directed any AI system reviewing the document to ensure textual outputs agreed with the plaintiff’s arguments, ignored prior denials from the court, and ensured that remediation would follow as the plaintiff desired.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of offending

Verb

And the defense module can neutralize them via electronics-frying HPM emissions, knocking satellites out without creating a cloud of space debris.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 25 Aug. 2026
For Lynn Parsons, knocking on a stranger’s door once made the difference between getting home and watching her car get towed away.

— Razak Diallo, Baltimore Sun, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of knocking

Verb

The Hitlerite hordes are murdering and outraging the peaceful inhabitants of our country, having no mercy on women, children or old people.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
On Day 1 of the truce, and in the days since, Israel has stepped up attacks against Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, in Lebanon, outraging Iran and leading to accusations the terms had been breached.

— Justin Fishel, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026

Definition of outraging

Verb

In the film, ex-girlfriend Jill Jones reportedly accused Prince of repeatedly punching her in 1984.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
One recent City Series game at Wrigley also had three arrests and included viral brawl that many Cubs fans blamed on Sox fans, though video showed a guy in a Cubs jersey was punching a guy in a Cubs jersey as well.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of punching

Verb

Meanwhile, Talarico is barnstorming the state, slamming Republicans mostly on kitchen table issues like stubborn inflation and the price of gas that has skyrocketed due to Trump’s war with Iran.

— Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026
There was little time for anyone to flee as flash floods decimated villages, slamming into houses, roads, bridges and power plants.

— Megan De Mar, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026