Definition

1. Verb:

   • To close or put something down with great force, making a loud noise: This is the most common meaning, describing a violent, noisy action.
   • To hit or strike something with great force: To collide with or impact something violently.
   • To criticize someone or something very harshly: To attack verbally in a severe and forceful manner.

2. Noun:

   • The loud noise made by something being closed or hitting something with great force: The sound resulting from a violent impact.
   • A harsh, severe criticism: A forceful verbal attack or insult.

Examples

• Verb:

  • He was so angry that he slammed the door as he left.
  • The car slammed into the wall.
  • The critic slammed the new movie in his review.

• Noun:

  • The slam of the door echoed through the house.
  • Her comment was a real slam against his character.

Advanced Usage

• "to slam on the brakes": To press the brake pedal in a vehicle very hard and suddenly.

  • I had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the dog.

• "to slam dunk" (basketball): To score by jumping and forcing the ball down through the basket with one or both hands. Figuratively, it means something that is very easy or certain to succeed.

  • Getting that contract was a slam dunk for the company.

Variants and Related Words

• Slam-dance (verb): A style of dancing to punk rock music involving violent collisions with other dancers.
• Grand Slam (noun): In sports (like tennis or golf), winning all the major tournaments in a season or calendar year. In baseball, a home run hit when the bases are loaded.
• Slammer (noun, informal): Jail or prison.

Synonyms

• Verb (to close forcefully): Bang, crash.
• Verb (to criticize): Attack, blast, pan.
• Noun (sound): Bang, crash.
• Noun (criticism): Insult, dig, barb.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Slam into: To crash into something with force.

  • The truck slammed into the side of the building.

• Slam down: To put something down on a surface with force.

  • He slammed down the phone after the argument.

Related Idioms

• Slam the door on (something): To completely and finally reject an idea, opportunity, or person.

  • By refusing to negotiate, they slammed the door on a peaceful solution.

• A poetry slam: A competitive event in which poets perform their work and are judged by the audience.

  • She won first place at the local poetry slam.

Noun

1. an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect
   • his parting shot was `drop dead'
   • she threw shafts of sarcasm
   • she takes a dig at me every chance she gets
2. a forceful impact that makes a loud noise
3. the noise made by the forceful impact of two objects
4. winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge

Verb

1. throw violently
   • He slammed the book on the table
2. dance the slam dance
3. strike violently
   • slam the ball
4. close violently
   • He slammed the door shut