A clapback is a quick, clever reply to criticism or an insult, especially on social media: her clapback to the rude comment. The verb is clap back at someone: to hit back with words and put them in their place. It's informal; in an essay or email, say responded sharply to the criticism.
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a clapback to + criticism; deliver a clapback; verb: clap back at + person
- Her short reply was a clever clapback to the rude comment.
- He clapped back at the critic with a joke about his own spelling.
- The post received more attention for its clapback than for the original argument.
What changed
First versionShe clapbacked at the person who mocked her drawing.
RevisionShe clapped back at the person who mocked her drawing.
The one-word noun a clapback makes it tempting to add -ed to the whole thing: clapbacked. But the verb is two words, clap back, and only clap takes the ending: clapped back, with a double p. The person you answer comes after at: clapped back at the critic.
A comeback is also a witty reply, but it can answer a harmless joke too. Comeback also means a return: the band's comeback. A clapback is always a response to criticism or rudeness.
Your turn
Choose the standard past form of the verb: He ___ at the rude comment.
Show the answer
clapped back — The verb is written as two words, and -ed goes on clap: clapped back. Clapbacked glues the noun to a verb ending.
Describe how someone gave a witty reply to a rude remark in the comments. Use clapback or clapped back.
Her clapback to the comment about her tiny garden was a photo of the huge tomatoes she had grown.
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