Phrase guide

slam dunk

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

An impressively forceful dunk.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: ball-games, basketball, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A task expected to present no difficulty, a piece of cake.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial, idiomatic

Examples

  • As long as you get the vice president's approval first, it'll be a slam dunk.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Tacking on top of the wind of the following yacht in close quarters

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: yachting

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To perform a slam dunk.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a forceful dunk

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dunk, dunk shot, stuff shot

6

noun

Meaning 6

something that is a sure to occur; a foregone conclusion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • predicting his success was a slam dunk

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: certainty, sure thing, foregone conclusion

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: رَمْيَة سَاحِقَة — impressively forceful dunk
  • Arabic: سْلَام دَانْك (slām dānk) — impressively forceful dunk
  • Catalan: esmaixada — impressively forceful dunk
  • Chinese Cantonese: 入樽 (jap6 zeon1) — impressively forceful dunk
  • Chinese Mandarin: 扣籃 /扣篮 (kòulán) — impressively forceful dunk
  • Chinese Mandarin: 灌籃 /灌篮 (guànlán) — impressively forceful dunk
  • Chinese Mandarin: 入樽 (rùzūn) — impressively forceful dunk
  • Finnish: donkkaus — impressively forceful dunk
  • Hungarian: zsákolás — impressively forceful dunk