smack down
To hit someone down hard, or to publicly and forcefully tell someone they are wrong.
Meanings
To knock or hit someone down with force.
"The wrestler smacked his opponent down to the mat in the final round."
To sharply and publicly rebuke, humiliate, or decisively refute someone.
"The senator was smacked down by the committee chairman for his misleading comments."
To crush or suppress a claim, idea, or rumour decisively.
"The health authority quickly smacked down the misinformation circulating online."
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.
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