Definition of slap - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
physical actiontr. hit with the palm of the handtr.
- She slapped him across the face.
2.
actiontr. strike something to make a soundtr.
- The waves slapped against the boat.
3.
punishmenttr. US impose something like a penaltytr. US
- They slapped a fine on the company.
4.
- This new song really slaps.
Noun
1.
physical impactblow with an open hand or flat object
- She gave him a slap on the cheek.
2.
soundsharp sound like a blow
- The slap of the book on the table startled everyone.
3.
musicTECH. US percussive bass sound produced by hitting and pulling stringsTECH. US
- The slap added a funky rhythm to the song.
4.
- She applied some slap before the party.
5.
artRare eye-catching street art stickerRare
- The slap on the wall caught my attention.
Adverb
1.
precisionexactly or directly in a precise manner
- The ball hit slap in the middle of the target.
2.
forceforcibly or abruptly with suddenness
- He stopped slap in front of the door.
Images of slap

blow with an open hand or flat object
Expressions with slap
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
apply something quickly without care
She slapped on some makeup before leaving.
hit someone repeatedly with an open hand
He would slap around his little brother when angry.
directly or exactly in a particular place
He dropped his keys slap bang in the middle of the floor..
put something down quickly and forcefully
He slapped down the book in frustration..
gesture of praise or encouragement
He received a slap on the back for his hard work.
hit on the face with an open hand
He received a slap on the face during the argument.
very mild punishment or warning
He got a slap on the wrist for being late.
apply a tax forcefully or unexpectedly
They slapped a tax on imported goods overnight.
give a mild punishment or warning
The manager decided to slap a wrist for the mistake.
unexpected insult or offense
His comment was a slap in the face to everyone present.
exactly in the center of a place or situation
The ball landed slap in the middle of the field.
hit your knee with your hand when laughing
He slapped his knee when he heard the joke.
put paint on something quickly or carelessly
He just slapped paint on the wall and left.
be physically abusive to someone
The bully would often slap him around.
give a mild punishment or reprimand
The teacher slapped his wrist for being late.
assemble quickly without much care
He slapped together a sandwich for lunch.
prepare or create quickly and with little effort
She can slap up a meal in 20 minutes.
charge someone a fee as punishment
He was slapped with a fine for parking illegally.
give someone a high five
He slapped her five to congratulate her on the promotion.
hit someone on the face with an open hand
She slapped him across the face for being rude.
hit someone's buttocks lightly with an open hand
She slapped him on the bottom as a joke.
hit your own thighs with your hands, often when laughing
He slapped his thighs when he heard the joke!
bracelet that wraps around the wrist when slapped
She wore a colorful slap bracelet to the party.
light slap to the head for discipline or correction
He gave him a dope slap for forgetting his keys.
Origin of slap
Dutch, slappe (weak) + -en (verb suffix)
Terms with slap included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
friendly slap
strike a person lightly with an open hand
greeting
slap someone's hand in greeting
hand gesture
slap someone's hand in greeting or celebration
celebration gesture
gesture where two people slap raised palms together
gesture
slap raised palms together as a greeting or celebration
greeting
invite someone to slap your palm in greeting
physical reprimand
light slap to the side of the head
celebration
slap hands with someone to celebrate or agree
gesture
slap hands with someone to show support or encouragement
impact
having been hit with a sharp slap
punishing slap
slap with the open hand, usually on the buttocks
action
slap using the back of one's hand
friendly gesture
slap hands with someone in greeting or agreement
greeting celebration
slap palms together as a greeting or to celebrate
impact
sharp blow or slap
scotland
slight blow or slap with noise
hit sharply
strike or slap with a flat object
punishment
light slap to the head for discipline or correction
games
card game where players slap the jack card
sound
resembling the sound of a slap
Examples of slap in a sentence
The chef slapped the dough onto the counter. He slapped the table to get everyone's attention. Raindrops slapped the window during the storm. The government slapped new taxes on imports. The judge slapped a penalty on the offender. That movie slaps with its amazing soundtrack.
Her latest album slaps and is topping the charts. The slap echoed in the quiet room. He received a slap for his rude comment. A slap echoed from the wet pavement. We heard the slap of waves against the hull. The slap was distinct in the bass line. Fans loved the slap in the new track. She bought new slap for the wedding. His slap was perfectly done for the photoshoot. Artists often trade slaps at conventions. The gallery featured a slap on its entrance. The arrow landed slap on the bullseye. She stood slap in front of the door. The car came slap to a halt on the icy road. She turned slap around when she heard the noise.
View all translations of slap
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:gifler, gifle, ...
- German:schlagen, Klaps, ...
- Italian:schiaffeggiare, schiaffo, ...
- Spanish:abofetear, bofetada, ...
- Portuguese:esbofetear, bofetada, ...
- Chinese:打, 巴掌, ...
- Japanese:平手打ちする, 平手打ち, ...
- Arabic:صَفَعَ, صَفْعَة, ...
- Hebrew:לִסְטוֹר, סְטִירָה, ...
- Russian:ударить, пощёчина, ...
- Ukrainian:ляскати, ляпас, ...
- Hindi:थप्पड़ मारना, थप्पड़, ...
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