SPANKING Synonyms: 258 Similar and Opposite Words

spanking 1 of 3

adjective

ˈspaŋ-kiŋ

Definition of spanking

as in animated

having much high-spirited energy and movement a spanking and speedy little horse

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spanking

2 of 3

adverb

as in very

to a great degree the bathroom tiles were spanking white when she finished cleaning them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spanking

3 of 3

verb

present participle of spank

as in smacking

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of spanking

Adjective

The rapper born Jeffrey Bruce Atkins was all over the place, promoting his spanking new Amber & Opal, a top shelf honey botanical whiskey. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2025 Owner Ted Leonsis will not move to a spanking new facility in Northern Virginia. — Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024

Adverb

There was Vice President Biden's inaugural bromance selfie with President Obama on his brand spanking new Instagram account. — Christina Capatides, CBS News, 11 May 2018 Is this just about opportunistic politicians dipping into state coffers so they can be photographed cutting the ribbon at a spanking new factory? — New York Times, 8 May 2018 See All Example Sentences for spanking

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spanking

Adjective

There’s this desire, understandable on its face, to make the design and aesthetics of the live-action world recognizably similar to the animated world.

— Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
The face is customizable with various colorways, clock fonts, and photos; there’s also an animated Snoopy, whose antics change with the weather and the holidays.

— Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of animated

Adverb

One of the other things that Claude noticed was that these array of associated reverse transcriptases seem to be isolated to jumbo phages, which have very large genomes for bacteriophage.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
There’s very few cases where a fan actually gets to stand beside the man and add onto the man’s legacy.

— Christine Imarenezor, VIBE.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of very

Verb

But Varma and Shivam Dube (27) upped the ante in the final three overs by smacking 57 runs against Sufyan Moqim, Ayub and Ahmed Daniyal.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Carrington was ejected from the game in the first half after smacking Cunningham across the face during Cunningham's layup attempt.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of smacking

Adjective

Einbinder and the staff writer Rachel Syme sit down for what’s sure to be a lively chat.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
Microsoft and Nvidia held a launch party for the first wave of RTX Spark laptops last week in San Francisco, where a new wave of AI PCs took center stage amid a packed crowd and a lively hands-on area.

— Tom Warren, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of lively

Adverb

Some wondered whether Schrödinger’s equation might be an approximation that works extremely well at the microscopic scale but breaks down at the macroscopic scale, which would mean the measurement postulate of the Copenhagen interpretation is right.

— Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
In the meantime, no one should refrain from using sunscreen, which is extremely well-proven to cause cancer.

— Tracy Middleton, Allure, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of extremely

Verb

The other student strikes one more blow from behind, knocking Xavier to the ground.

— Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
The murder prompted an extensive investigation, with police interviewing more than 1,300 people and knocking on hundreds of doors.

— Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of knocking

Adjective

The poetry world in the city is multifarious and energetic, with waves of practitioners reading, listening to, and publishing one another.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Stones, Soddu explains, have a very long history of being associated with energetic, medicinal, protective, and symbolic properties.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of energetic

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spanked

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spanks

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“Spanking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spanking. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of spanking

adjective

adverb

verb

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