1 B1 informal
To knock or hit someone down with force.
"The wrestler smacked his opponent down to the mat in the final round."
separable
smack down
B2 informal separable transitive
To forcefully rebuke, defeat, or physically knock someone down.
In plain English
To hit someone down hard, or to publicly and forcefully tell someone they are wrong.
What does "smack down" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To sharply and publicly rebuke, humiliate, or decisively refute someone.
"The senator was smacked down by the committee chairman for his misleading comments."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic informal
To crush or suppress a claim, idea, or rumour decisively.
"The health authority quickly smacked down the misinformation circulating online."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To smack (hit) someone so that they fall down.
Actually means
To hit someone down hard, or to publicly and forcefully tell someone they are wrong.
Usage tip
The figurative sense (a sharp public rebuke) is extremely common in journalism and social media. 'Smackdown' as a noun is also widely used. Associated with WWE wrestling culture, which has amplified the figurative uses.
Words that pair with "smack down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
claim argument opponent critics rumour proposal
How to conjugate "smack down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
smack down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
smacks down
he/she/it
Past simple
smacked down
yesterday
Past participle
smacked down
have + pp
-ing form
smacking down
continuous
Hear "smack down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "smack down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.