slam

The word “slam” means to shut something with sudden force and a loud noise. In plain terms, to shut or hit something with sudden force and noise, or to criticise something harshly.

“Slam” is pronounced SLAM (/ˈslæm/ in IPA).

Here is “slam” used in a sentence: “She slammed the door on her way out.”

Depending on how it is used, “slam” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “slam” comes from Middle English. From an unrecorded Middle English word likely borrowed from Old Norse slæma ("to strike, swing a weapon"), related to Scandinavian words for banging or clattering.

“Slam” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Slam” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to shut something with sudden force and a loud noise.

In the card game bridge, a slam is a bid to win all or nearly all of the tricks in a hand; a grand slam means taking every trick, while a small slam allows one loss. Sport borrowed the phrase: in baseball a grand slam is a home run hit with all bases loaded, and in tennis and golf winning the Grand Slam means taking all four major championships.

The physical sense, to shut something with sudden force and a loud noise, is neutral and fits any register. The sense meaning to criticise harshly is informal and typical of tabloid headlines; in formal writing, prefer criticise sharply, condemn, or denounce.

Both involve sudden loud impacts, but slam emphasises the forceful action, especially closing something hard, while bang emphasises the noise produced. You slam a door in anger; a door left open bangs in the wind.