i Register
In some senses, wham is marked as figuratively, informal. Watch for register when choosing this word.
noun
A forceful blow.
Roger was given a violent wham by his boxing opponent.
Might be a good idea to have a wham at it, anyway. Stop it getting away. Knock it out so that we can have a proper look at it.
The sound of such a blow; a thud.
We heard a wham as the hammer struck the wall.
An attempt.
A great success.
intj
Used to indicate the sound of a forceful blow, an explosion, etc.
Wham! The truck hit the wall.
"Come here, kid, I got something for you." Then wham and he lit on his hands and knees beside the track. Nick rubbed his eye. There was a big bump coming up.
Used to indicate something dramatic, sudden, and unanticipated has occurred.
Our relationship was going smoothly and then wham! Out of nowhere he told me he was leaving me for another woman.
Wham! Overnight he [Dwight D. Eisenhower] became a warmonger.
verb
To smash or strike (someone or something) with great force or impact; to slam, to whack.
My Wobblie worker buddies taught me to wham anybody who bothered me hard and fast in the crotch with my knee or my elbow.
I picked one of the logs up and just whammed him over the shoulder as hard as I could. Then I said to him, "I want to tell you something. If you want to come up here to school and behave, I want to see you back; otherwise, I don't want you on this school ground."
To propel (something) with great force by kicking, striking, throwing, etc.
Though you may never have heard of Wham-O before, you doubtless are already acquainted with Super Ball, their latest sensation. It's about the size of a handball, and has such extraordinary bounce that it makes every other ball seem tired. […] Kids from seven to 70 can be seen dribbling it or whamming it over the rooftops almost anywhere you go these days.
To smash or strike with great force or impact.
She takes her foot off the skateboard. It keeps going without her and whams into the garage door.
To move quickly or loudly.