slam

UK: /ˈslæm/ US: /slæm/ ,(slam)

Inflections of 'slam' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

slams

v 3rd person singular

slamming

v pres p

slammed

v past

slammed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

slam¹ /slæm/   v., slammed, slam•ming, n. 
v. 

1. to shut with force and noise:
   [~ + object] to slam the door.
2. to strike, throw, etc., with force and noise on impact:
   [~ + object] She picked up the book and slammed it on the table.
3. to hit, push, etc., violently:
   [~ (+ on) + object] If you slam (on) the brakes, the car will skid.
4. to shut, stop, or make an impact with force and noise:
   [no object] The truck slammed into the wall.
5. Informal Terms to criticize harshly;
   attack with words:
   [~ + object] She slammed her opponent.

n. [countable]

6. a violent, noisy closing, throwing, or the noise made by this:
   He closed the door with a loud slam.
7. [usually: the + ~] [Slang.] slammer.

slam² /slæm/   n. [countable]

1. Games the winning or bidding of all the tricks or all the tricks but one in a deal of cards.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

slam¹  (slam), v., slammed, slam•ming, n. 
v.t., v.i. 

1. to shut with force and noise:
   to slam the door.
2. to dash, strike, knock, thrust, throw, slap down, etc., with violent and noisy impact:
   He slammed his books upon the table.
3. Informal Terms to criticize harshly;
   attack verbally:
   He slammed my taste mercilessly.

n. 

4. a violent and noisy closing, dashing, or impact.
5. the noise so made.
6. Usually, the slam. [Slang.] slammer (def. 2).
7. Informal Terms a harsh criticism;
   verbal attack:
   I am sick of your slams.
8. [Informal.] a competitive, usually boisterous poetry reading.

• Scandinavian; compare Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish slamra to slam
• perh 1650–60

slam²  (slam), n. [Cards.]

1. Games the winning or bidding of all the tricks or all the tricks but one in a deal. Cf. grand slam (def. 1), little slam. 
2. Games an old type of card game associated with ruff.

• perh. special use of slam¹ 1615–25

slam¹, +n. 

1. a competitive, usually boisterous poetry reading.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

slam / slæm/ verb (slams, slamming, slammed)

1. to cause (a door or window) to close noisily and with force or (of a door, etc) to close in this way
2. (transitive) to throw (something) down noisily and violently
3. (transitive) to criticize harshly
4. (intr; usually followed by into or out of) to go (into or out of a room, etc) in violent haste or anger
5. (transitive) to strike with violent force
6. (transitive) to defeat easily

noun

1. the act or noise of slamming

Etymology: 17th Century: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse slamra, Norwegian slemma, Swedish dialect slämma

slam / slæm/ noun

1. the winning of all (grand slam) or all but one (little slam or small slam) of the 13 tricks at bridge or whist
2. the bid to do so in bridge
   See grand slam, little slam

Etymology: 17th Century: of uncertain origin

slam / slæm/ noun

1. a poetry contest in which entrants compete with each other by reciting their work and are awarded points by the audience

Etymology: 20th Century: origin unknown