1
as in bang
a loud explosive sound
a clap of thunder that woke the whole house up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Examples 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
Shawn Inglima, New York Daily News, 20 Nov. 2024
Many field athletes lead the crowd in a progressive clap.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 8 Aug. 2024
Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024
Everyone was standing at their dinner table seats, clapping and cheering.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clap 
Noun
Officer Rich Wong, with family and friends by his side, waved to a crowd of fellow police officers as he was wheeled out of Jamaica Hospital Wednesday afternoon and met with salutes and a thunder of claps.
—Shawn Inglima, New York Daily News, 20 Nov. 2024
Many field athletes lead the crowd in a progressive clap.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 8 Aug. 2024
Verb
The members didn't clap immediately after any specific remarks.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024
Everyone was standing at their dinner table seats, clapping and cheering.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clap
Noun
-
Her hair also went from her silver-screen blonde to a darker brunette color, but her on-trend side bangs stayed the same.Michelle Lee, People.com, 22 Dec. 2024
-
This guide will go over which Vanguards offer the best bang for your metaphorical buck in Marvel Rivals, with a little bit of info on their skills, their strengths, and their weaknesses.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The Vigor has flat seams and enough stretch to move comfortably while bending over or reaching up, while thump loops make for easy layering on frigid days.Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2024
-
The White Sox have a major need for power hitting as Jose Abreu, Eloy Jimenez and Yoan Moncada are gone and Andrew Vaughn appears to have misplaced his thump.Phil Rogers, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The game was so in control that Jackson headed into the locker room early in the fourth quarter, slapping fives with Ravens fans on his way in.Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
-
His comments also mark the latest — and likely not the last — threat to slap tariffs on some of the U.S.’s biggest trade partners.William Gavin, Quartz, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The e-commerce boom has helped fuel a rise in digital fashion.Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
-
As the United States and other nations electrify more of their economies in a bid to reduce global warming, the Copper State is on the cusp of a transformational mining boom.Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
However, Washington delivered a blow to dislodge the football and the Ravens recovered.Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024
-
That allowed him to outland Fury and score with more effective blows while limiting Fury’s opportunities to counter.Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Look for the alcohol content — lower proof whiskeys can be easier for newcomers while higher proof versions can smack you in the face a bit harder.Paul Feinstein, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Dec. 2024
-
The old chief attempted to do a special review of Bitcoin miners but got smacked down by a federal court.Brady Dale, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
In Kyiv, at least three loud blasts were heard shortly before sunrise.Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
-
What To Know The Barents Observer, a Norwegian online news outlet, concluded from the video of the blast that the Severomorsk-1 military airfield was 13 kilometers [8 miles] from the shooting site, which is a base for Russian fighter jets, bombers and a squadron of Ka-27 helicopters.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Underdog stories typically end with a thud in the CFP, and SMU and Indiana join a list that includes Cincinnati, TCU and others.Chris Vannini, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024
-
Over nearly 24 hours on July 4, 2022, Santiago heard muffled thuds and screams from the adjacent cell.Christie Thompson, NPR, 18 Dec. 2024
Articles Related to clap
Thesaurus Entries Near clap
Cite this Entry
“Clap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clap. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share