slam

/slæm/

verb

  1. to close a door or window with great force

    A2

    transitive or intransitiveinformal

    • "He slammed the door behind him."A2
    • "The wind slammed the window shut."B1

  2. to hit or put something or someone somewhere with great force, usually making a loud noise

    A2

    transitiveinformal

    • "She slammed her book onto the desk and left."B1
    • "The boxer slammed his opponent to the ground."B1

  3. to criticize or condemn someone or something very strongly

    B1

    transitiveinformal

    • "The critics slammed the new movie."B1
    • "The report was slammed for ignoring the needs of local communities."C1

  4. to defeat someone or something decisively

    B2

    transitiveinformal

    • "Our team slammed its opponents."B2

noun

  1. a loud sound or forceful action caused by something being shut, hit, or put down

    B1

    countable

    • "The slam of the door woke the baby."B1
    • "I heard a slam upstairs."B1

  2. a strong public criticism

    B2

    countableinformal

    • "The article was a slam against the government."B2
    • "His comments were widely seen as a personal slam against the minister."C1

  3. a slam dunk in basketball; a forceful shot in which the ball is pushed down through the basket

    B2

    countableUS

    • "He scored a slam dunk in the final seconds."B2

Common mistakes

  • slam someone→slam something shut

    Use slam someone only when you mean criticize or defeat them; use slam something shut for closing something forcefully.

Collocations

slam the doorslam something shutslam intoslam on the brakesslam dunkslam poetry

Word family

slammedslammingslammer