whacks 1 of 2

noun

plural of whack
1
as in tries
an effort to do or accomplish something took a whack at solving the math problem

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2
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument gave the wasp's nest a good whack with the bat

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3
as in claps
a loud explosive sound the whack echoed around the field

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whacks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of whack
1
as in slaps
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner whacked the vending machine to get the candy bar to fall

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2
as in assassinates
slang to put to death deliberately without a second thought the mob boss had them whacked

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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 whacks
Noun
Lizzie Borden’s father and stepmother were found slain by 29 (or 30) whacks in Fall River, Massachusetts. — USA Today, 21 July 2026 In the opening minute alone, Murphy shot just wide off a turnover and Josefin Bouveng set up Madison Kaiser for a couple of whacks from the edge of the blue paint that were both stopped. — Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2026 The star then grabbed a bat and took several whacks at a colorful piñata shaped like a cascaron. — René Guzman, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Feb. 2026 Deeper down the road the slap of the drooping tropical tree branches against the windshield are like punishing whacks to the face for trying to force a metaphor. — Matt Negrin, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2025 Brush off hair and debris from the surface, then give it a few whacks against the inside of the trash can to knock out some of the dust. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
With runners on the corners, Martinez whacks a two-run, RBI double to tie it at five. — Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 27 Mar. 2026 Then little Holly Wheeler and her 10-year-old friends, including the Season 5 favorite Derek (Jake Connelly), all swarm into the basement and take over the D&D table in a passing of the torch that basically whacks the audience over our collective heads. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025 Fed up with Nicky’s dramatics, Lester uses his elevator crank and whacks the former hard in the back of his neck. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025 Fanning flatlines when left to be a solo show as Bertino whacks her around like a pinball, hitting big, loud scares that seem to keep resetting. — J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whacks
  1. tries
  2. blows
  3. claps
  4. slaps
  5. assassinates
  6. attempts
  7. thumps
  8. bangs
Noun
  • After surviving a ferocious first half to trail only 13-12, the All Blacks' resolve hardened by new coach Dave Rennie and age-old ability to produce something from nothing turned a tense contest into a rout by five tries to South Africa's one.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • As Lucarelli closed in on 2,000 tries over the weekend, Oswalt ran the math in his head.
    — Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of tries
Noun
  • The impact of yesterday’s sharp drop in South Korean equities transmitted further into US markets overnight, spreading selling sentiment and dealing heavy blows to US semiconductor and memory stocks.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Guevera also reportedly came to blows with Eddie Kingston in 2022, leading to Kingston’s suspension.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of blows
Noun
  • The entire gymnasium roared with claps and cheers, the loudest and most fervent applause of the evening.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The Golf Channel would always be playing in the background; the soft claps were the soundtrack to our slow Saturdays.
    — Ivy Odom, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of claps
Verb
  • Soto, looking irritated, reaches out and slaps him upside the head.
    — Sylvia Varnham O’Regan, Vanity Fair, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Helmut Haller, West Germany vs England, 1966 Ray Wilson misjudges his headed clearance, Haller gathers it on the edge of the box and, just before Bobby Moore can close him down, slaps a right-footed shot into the far corner.
    — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of slaps
Verb
  • That assassinates Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sparking retaliatory attacks by Iran across the Middle East.
    — Jill Lawrence, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Soleimani assassination | Trump orders a drone strike in Iraq that assassinates Qasem Soleimani, an influential Iranian military commander.
    — Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
Definition of assassinates
Noun
  • Utilizing quick, short passes, Hayes completed 14 of his first 16 attempts, including a 26-yard touchdown strike to sophomore tight end Ian Figi that gave Naperville Central a 14-0 lead.
    — Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • McIntire is going batty — in a good way — over attempts to investigate the elusive western mastiff.
    — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of attempts
Noun
  • The lower-vocal harmony struggles to stand out any time the deeper bass thumps.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Agents yelled from every direction, and the thumps of a news helicopter overhead were deafening.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Definition of thumps
Noun
  • Kidman styled her waist-length blonde hair in soft waves and framed her features with long front bangs that grazed her cheekbones.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Examples of these kinds of weapons are drones, rifles and ammunition, tear gas, flash bangs and a 40 mm launcher.
    — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of bangs

Browse Nearby Words

whacking
whacks
whale
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Cite this Entry

“Whacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whacks. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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