1
as in bang
a loud explosive sound
a clap of thunder that woke the whole house up
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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
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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of clap
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 15 Oct. 2024
And there’s Teeny doing a mocking sarcasm clap, which is my second favorite type of clap, after an inspirational movie slow clap that starts as a solitary person in a crowd and then spreads like wildfire into a full assault of applause by a large grip of onlookers.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2024
Mike Lillis, The Hill, 6 Jan. 2025
Gentle clapping at the end of a performance is good.
—Grant Wong, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clap 
Noun
In addition, Iron Man has a Nano-Shield; Ironheart has a Heartbeat Bubble forcefield to protect people, and Iron Hulk has his strong Iron Boom clap and Iron Hulk Stomp.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 15 Oct. 2024
And there’s Teeny doing a mocking sarcasm clap, which is my second favorite type of clap, after an inspirational movie slow clap that starts as a solitary person in a crowd and then spreads like wildfire into a full assault of applause by a large grip of onlookers.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
Johnson, sitting next to her, clapped along when a teller would read that Trump won a certain state, and Vice President-elect JD Vance (R-Ohio), sitting with his Senate colleagues during the certification, also clapped.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 6 Jan. 2025
Gentle clapping at the end of a performance is good.
—Grant Wong, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clap
Noun
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Tips for styling curtain bangs with short hair Investing in a good haircut is the most important step.—
Ranyechi Udemezue,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2025
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The most successful hedge funds have of course given investors more bang for their buck, despite charging higher than average fees in most cases.—
Hank Tucker,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Helman has high-end speed and can play anywhere defensively, along with some right-handed thump.—
Aaron Gleeman,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
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Not a lot, but for music that subwoofer does add some thump.—
Brad Moon,
Forbes,
30 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Newsom greeted Trump with a handshake, and the president slapped him on the back.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
25 Jan. 2025
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One such surprise could be Trump declining to follow through on his plans to slap Canadian and Mexican imports with tariffs, which would affect most automakers.—
William Gavin,
Quartz,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Other than luxury goods titan and LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, the group saw their wealth rise over the past 12 months, which Omar Ocampo, researcher at the Institute for Policy Studies, previously told Newsweek reflects the ongoing boom in the tech sector.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
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Considered a cultural phenomenon, the movie also played a role in kicking off that era's erotic thriller boom.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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These tariffs could be a huge blow to the U.S. economy, as economists say tariffs are often passed along to end consumers in the form of higher prices.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
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Trump also signed an order signaling his intent to weaken tailpipe emission standards, which would be a major blow to the environment.—
Andrew J. Hawkins,
The Verge,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Barkley smacked them for 296 yards and four TDs in the regular season.—
Bill Reinhard,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2025
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During that period, Ichiro smacked 2,533 of his 3,089 Major League hits, ranking him 25th on MLB’s all-time hits list.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Washington Capitals' blast into elite status has also garnered honors from the White House.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
21 Jan. 2025
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As a blast of Arctic air hits most of the country, Donald Trump will also be sworn in as president inside the Capitol on Monday because of the frigid conditions.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Three minutes later comes the sound of a terrible thud out front.—
Ryan Lillis,
Sacramento Bee,
17 Jan. 2025
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Since last season ended with a thud in the Peach Bowl, Marques Hagans was hell-bent on ensuring his receivers wouldn’t be the team’s weak link again.—
Audrey Snyder,
The Athletic,
6 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Clap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clap. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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