as in to quell
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
public protests against the dictatorial government were always promptly slapped down
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Recent Examples of slap down
This is a court so conservative that it has been repeatedly slapped down by the Supreme Court, including in three out of 10 appeals from its rulings this term.
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Ruth Marcus, Washington Post, 3 July 2024
But Trump’s camp has already made sure to highlight attempts Biden has made to make good on his promise that have been slapped down.
—Max Thornberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 June 2024
That was, of course, not the high court’s decision, and in fact the court slapped down Arizona’s attempt to preempt federal powers on immigration.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2024
In 2021, employees raised alarms that efforts to bypass the algorithm — and pay for longer rehab stays — were getting slapped down at higher levels of the organization.
—Elaine Chen Reprints, STAT, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for slap down 
Ruth Marcus, Washington Post, 3 July 2024
But Trump’s camp has already made sure to highlight attempts Biden has made to make good on his promise that have been slapped down.
—Max Thornberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 June 2024
That was, of course, not the high court’s decision, and in fact the court slapped down Arizona’s attempt to preempt federal powers on immigration.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2024
In 2021, employees raised alarms that efforts to bypass the algorithm — and pay for longer rehab stays — were getting slapped down at higher levels of the organization.
—Elaine Chen Reprints, STAT, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for slap down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slap down
Verb
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The incident made national headlines, but did little to quell tensions in Portland.Kale Williams, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024
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Feds try to tamp down worries about drone sightings Federal authorities sought to quell concerns about drone sightings in New Jersey and other states, as President-elect Donald Trump spoke out and lawmakers proposed the deployment of drone-tracking devices.Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Officials say Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok's U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread or suppress information.HALELUYA HADERO AND MICHELLE L. PRICE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 28 Dec. 2024
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The first system uses cold plasma to filter outside air coming onboard through the ventilation and air-conditioning systems to suppress bacteria and viruses.Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Globally, demand in the sector remains subdued due to oversupplies in the European market as well as high inventory levels in China.Trefis Team, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
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The higher end of the treble is somewhat subdued and can get stepped on when the lower frequencies are busy.PCMAG, PCMAG, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Shelters are still overwhelmed with new entries, and almost 1 million pets a year are put down across the country for lack of space.Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024
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Her complaints of feeling dizzy and experiencing numbness in her limbs were put down to dehydration.Latoya Gayle, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near slap down
Cite this Entry
“Slap down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slap%20down. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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