clap 1 of 2

noun

Definition of clapnext
1
as in bang
a loud explosive sound a clap of thunder that woke the whole house up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in thump
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument a sharp clap to the head of the disrespectful youth

Synonyms & Similar Words

clap

2 of 2

verb

ˈklap How to pronounce clap (audio)
as in to slap
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner clapped him on the back as a friendly gesture

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 clap
Noun
Think of it as going from a clap of thunder to the slam of a car door. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 June 2026 There were the polite claps after good attacks by the Swiss, sarcastic whistles by the Qatari fans after their team again failed to mount a threat. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 June 2026
Verb
The hugs, smiles and claps around the FDJ Suez bus told a different story, however. — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Eala supporters flooded the main stadium this week during her matches waving Philippines flags, and sometimes even clapping for opponents missed serves (a tennis etiquette no-no). — Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clap
  1. bang
  2. thump
  3. slap
  4. boom
  5. blow
  6. smack
  7. blast
  8. thud
Noun
  • Pilots received a warning about the engine and then heard a loud bang, the report said.
    — Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Even something as seemingly minor as changing your part or adding bangs can make a noticeable difference.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bang
Noun
  • The lower-vocal harmony struggles to stand out any time the deeper bass thumps.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Ramirez was Miami’s primary catcher as a rookie last season and can add some thump to Miami’s lineup, but his work defensively remains underwhelming.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of thump
Verb
  • In response, Smith, 57, approached Rock on the Oscars stage and slapped him across the face.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Section 301 has also opened the door to new country-specific tariffs targeted at Brazil, at 25%, while Section 338 was cited to slap an extra 50% import tax on certain Canadian goods.
    — Kent Jones, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of slap
Noun
  • Their hiring boom has drawn a new wave of tech workers to San Francisco and its commuter suburbs and sent them into an already tight housing market.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Whenever there is a technological breakthrough like AI, or the internet and telecom boom of the 1990s, there is massive speculation.
    — Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of boom
Noun
  • The breach is the latest blow to a struggling small city that has faced years of severe budget deficits, pushing it to the brink of insolvency, as well as chronic understaffing in its police, fire and other municipal departments.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • That would be a heavy blow for an economy growing at less than 1% a year.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • The storm caught the state off guard, having made a sudden shift to the east and smack into the core of the state after most forecasters had projected it to make landfall much farther to the north.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Taylor Trammell then smacked his first triple of the year off the brick wall in right field before Allen sent him home with the go-ahead run off Keaton Winn (2-3).
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of smack
Noun
  • Eldridge’s home run, a solo shot, was the latest exhibition of his game-changing power, an opposite-field, 423-foot blast that cleared the left-center field fence on a cold San Francisco (50-70) night with feet to spare.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The money taps remain turned on full-blast even in the face of a choppy stock market and persistent fears over whether AI stocks are in a bubble.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of blast
Noun
  • The movement feels fluid but also brutally impactful when Wolvie lands claws-first on an unsuspecting enemy with a thud.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The box lands with a loud thud in the video before the driver snaps the photo and leaves without placing the package at the front door.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of thud

Phrases Containing clap

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clansmen
clap
clapped
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Cite this Entry

“Clap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clap. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on clap

Nglish: Translation of clap for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about clap

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