What does "clap" mean?
The act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.
Clap
/klæp/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.
- Grammar: clap is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: bang, gonorrhea, acclaim, acclaim.
- Useful contrasts: disapproval, health, hush.
- Usage evidence: Suddenly I heard a loud clap of thunder.
How to use "clap"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "clap" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "clap" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "clap" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "clap" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "clap" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bang" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "clap", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.
"He summoned the waiter with a clap."
- 2 Gonorrhea. slang, usually, with-definite-article
"With the mischiefe of the melt and maw, / The clape and the canker,—"
- 3 a sudden very loud noise wordnet
- 4 The explosive sound of thunder.
"The deafening claps of thunder and the dazzling flashes of lightning which lit up the ghastly scene testified that the artillery of heaven had lent its supernatural pomp to the already gruesome spectacle."
- 5 a sharp abrupt noise as if two objects hit together; may be repeated wordnet
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 Any loud, sudden, explosive sound made by striking hard surfaces together, or resembling such a sound.
"Off in the distance, he heard the clap of thunder."
- 7 a common venereal disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae; symptoms are painful urination and pain around the urethra wordnet
- 8 A slap with the hand, usually in a jovial manner.
"His father's affection never went further than a handshake or a clap on the shoulder."
- 9 A single, sudden act or motion; a stroke; a blow.
"What, fifty of my followers at a clap!"
- 10 The nether part of the beak of a hawk.
- 11 A dropping of cow dung (presumably from the sound made as it hits the ground) Yorkshire
"“Oh! get some coo clap (cow dung), mix it wi’ fish oil (whale oil), put it on, and let it stop on all neet.”"
Verb
- 1 To strike the palms of the hands together, creating a sharp sound. intransitive
"The children began to clap in time with the music."
- 2 clap one's hands together wordnet
- 3 To applaud. transitive
"The audience loudly clapped the actress, who responded with a deep curtsey."
- 4 clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval wordnet
- 5 To slap with the hand in a jovial manner. transitive
"He would often clap his teammates on the back for encouragement."
Show 12 more definitions
- 6 strike together so as to produce a sharp percussive noise wordnet
- 7 To bring two surfaces together forcefully, creating a sharp sound. ambitransitive
"He clapped the empty glass down on the table."
- 8 strike with the flat of the hand; usually in a friendly way, as in encouragement or greeting wordnet
- 9 To slam (a door or window); formerly often construed with to. obsolete
"Hostesse clap to the doores."
- 10 put quickly or forcibly wordnet
- 11 To create or assemble (something) hastily (usually followed by up or together). transitive
"We should clap together a shelter before nightfall."
- 12 strike the air in flight wordnet
- 13 To set or put, usually in haste. transitive
"The sheriff clapped him in jail."
- 14 cause to strike the air in flight wordnet
- 15 To shoot (somebody) with a gun. slang
- 16 To defeat. broadly, slang, transitive
"He started a fight but then got clapped immediately."
- 17 To have sex, fornicate, copulate. slang
Antonyms
Example
"Suddenly I heard a loud clap of thunder."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "clap"?
Common synonyms include: bang, gonorrhea, acclaim, acclaim, acclaim, acclamation.
How do you use "clap" in a sentence?
Suddenly I heard a loud clap of thunder.
How do you pronounce "clap"?
Pronounced /klæp/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English clappen, from Old English clæppan, *clappian, from Proto-West Germanic *klappijan, *klappōn, from Proto-Germanic *klappōną (“to clap”). Cognate with Dutch klappen, Icelandic klappa, Faroese klappa and Danish klappe.
Etymology 2
Uncertain. Probably from Old French clapoir (“bubo, inflammation from infection”), from clapier (“brothel”). May also be from old, unsafe treatments for gonorrhea, such as clapping the penis between a book and a hard surface to break up obstructions in the urethra and permit urination. Attested from the 16th century.