1
as in indictment
a formal claim of criminal wrongdoing against a person
the headlines in the paper today are all about the mayor facing an embezzlement rap
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2
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
the doctor used a little hammer to give me a rap on the knee to test my reflexes
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3
as in blame
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
would sooner take the rap for the missing money than tell on his friend
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as in chat
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this
after our pickup softball game, I had a friendly rap with a couple of the guys in the park
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as in damn
the smallest amount or part imaginable
I don't care a rap about losing that old jacket
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1
as in to smack
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
a childhood memory of the time he got his knuckles rapped for trying to steal candy from the corner store
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2
as in to drum
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically
the impatient man was rapping his knuckles on the door, hoping to wake up the sleeping attendant
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as in to chat
to engage in casual or rambling conversation
the guys at the gym never seem to tire about rapping about basketball
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1
as in to entrance
to fill with overwhelming emotion (as wonder or delight)
concertgoers were utterly rapped by the power of Handel's oratorio
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2
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
suddenly the hawk swooped down and rapped the unwary rodent
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rap
Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
Compared to Jurassic Park, a lot of the franchise sequels get a bad rap, that’s completely understandable.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 29 Mar. 2025
Angel Diaz, Billboard, 17 Mar. 2025
Sampling is foundational to rap music as both an aural and a textual medium.
—Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rap
Noun
Whether or not this is a fair assessment these days is up for debate, but in my mind meal kit recipes tend to get a bad rap for being, well, boring.
—Verb
Imagine getting that s—t just to be able to rap about having Princess Diana’s limo.
—Cite this Entry
“Rap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rap. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.
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