1
—used to express a sound made by or as if by a gun
2
—used to indicate a sudden or instantaneous occurrence
zapped; zapping; zaps
1
a
: to get rid of, destroy, or kill especially with or as if with sudden force
b
: to hit with or as if with a sudden concentrated application of force or energy
c
: to irradiate especially with microwaves
2
a
: to propel suddenly or speedily
b
: to transport instantaneously
3
: to avoid watching (something, such as a television commercial) by changing channels especially with a remote control or by fast-forwarding
1
: to move with speed or force
2
: to change television channels using a remote control
Synonyms
Examples of zap in a Sentence
Verb
The flowers were zapped by the cold weather.
The aliens in the movie zapped people from spaceships.
She reheated her muffin by zapping it in the microwave for a few seconds.
I zapped through the channels for a while before falling asleep.
We tape the show so we can zap through the commercials.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE, 9 Aug. 2023
Caroline Framke, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
The boar bristles add a beautiful shine, while the large ceramic barrel uses ionic technology to create swoon-worthy waves and volume while zapping frizz.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 2 Nov. 2024
Amber Gibson, Glamour, 21 Oct. 2024
Repeatedly scanning, toggling, clicking, and typing zaps our energy, steals our attention, wears us out, and contributes to burnout.
—Spencer Dorn, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for zap 
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Interjection
Yeah, truly, like passing a ball around and zip zap zopping.
—Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE, 9 Aug. 2023
Verb
With that revelation, Billy gets zapped out of the Road, too.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
The boar bristles add a beautiful shine, while the large ceramic barrel uses ionic technology to create swoon-worthy waves and volume while zapping frizz.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
What to expect during treatment: The snap, crackle, and pop sound is accompanied by zaps that feel like a rubber-band snap.
—Amber Gibson, Glamour, 21 Oct. 2024
Repeatedly scanning, toggling, clicking, and typing zaps our energy, steals our attention, wears us out, and contributes to burnout.
—Spencer Dorn, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for zap
Articles Related to zap
Dictionary Entries Near zap
Cite this Entry
“Zap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zap. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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