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
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 The origin of the thunderclap (sometimes called the Viking clap) is disputed, with several clubs in Europe claiming to have started the trend, but Iceland popularised it and brought it to the world stage. — Elias Burke, New York Times, 23 June 2026
Verb
People noticed that Miuccia Prada and Valentino’s creative director Alessandro Michele didn’t clap for the robots. — Shane O’Neill, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2026 Zodiac wildlife tours go out regardless of weather; on ours, a humpback, a mother-and-calf gray whale, an orca, and otters clapping their paws like an audience all made an appearance. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 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
  • Even without modification, white privacy lights are easily obscured by bangs and a bright sunny day.
    — Victoria Song, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026
  • And speaking of being just long enough, her bangs are just long enough to get stuck in her eyelashes.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of bang
Noun
  • The brutalist thump of drummer Moe Tucker renders the showmen in Led Zeppelin and the Who irrelevant.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The Giants lineup even lacked Rafael Devers’ considerable thump for the first time since the Giants traded for him last summer.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of thump
Verb
  • Hochman said the nannies were caught on video spanking, slapping or hitting the children.
    — News Editor, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Residents have reported paying excessive amounts to retrieve their vehicles from tow yards, with companies sometimes slapping extra fees on drivers who contact the police, according to council members.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of slap
Noun
  • Some companies supplying the AI boom are already making money, Hayes said, pointing to memory chipmakers and Nvidia.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The bootleg boom Although there are occasional calls from companies like Merch Traffic to crack down on bootleg apparel, hardly anyone in position to do something about it seems to care.
    — Matt Martell, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of boom
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Merz's power inside Germany has taken a blow after a string of state election defeats last month, including losses to the anti-migration and Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany party.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The community suffered another blow the following month with the death of Sandy Steers, the executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit behind the livestream.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • The Eagles also have been smacked with injuries and played without several key starters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And there’s rarely time to digest one controversy before the next one comes barreling down the road and smacks us in the mouth.
    — Bernard Goldberg, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of smack
Noun
  • And while a blast of cooler air is set to arrive this weekend along with a swift fall breeze, high temperatures will remain near record levels through Thursday across the state, and that’s not even to mention the records that have been broken.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, he’ll probably get blamed for having a Slim Pickens-style blast on the bomb that buried Warner Bros.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of blast
Noun
  • Less than a mile from Presnell’s apartment, the girl heard a thud.
    — Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Obscenities, the referee’s whistle, and the thud of boots into balls—and sometimes shins—easily carry across these desolate fields.
    — Vanda Mayer, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of thud

Phrases Containing clap

Browse Nearby Words

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 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on clap

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about clap

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