Meaning & use
slamming brakes
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
The act of pressing a vehicle's brake pedal very hard and suddenly.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; often after 'of' or in the pattern 'slamming on the brakes'.
Patterns
- slamming on the brakes
- the sound of slamming brakes
The screech of slamming brakes came from the intersection.
Slamming brakes on a wet road can make the car slide.
He avoided the dog by slamming on the brakes at the last second.
phrasefixed phrasefigurative
A sudden, forceful stop of any process or activity, especially in business or politics.
Grammar: Used figuratively; often in the pattern 'slamming the brakes on something'.
Patterns
- slamming the brakes on something
The government is slamming the brakes on new spending.
Investors worried that the bank was slamming brakes on lending.
Common combinations
- slamming on the brakes
- She avoided the crash by slamming on the brakes.
- slam on the brakes
- He had to slam on the brakes when a child ran into the road.
- the sound of slamming brakes
- We heard the sound of slamming brakes outside.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hard braking
- More technical and neutral; it describes the action without the idea of sudden violence.
- emergency stop
- Refers to the whole maneuver, not just the action of pressing the pedal.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: slamming brakes or braking?
slamming brakes vs braking
The general act of slowing down; 'slamming brakes' is a specific, forceful version.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
The established pattern is 'slam on the brakes' (or 'slam the brakes on'), so option 1 is correct. Option 0 lacks 'on' and sounds incomplete; option 2 is possible but less common; option 3 is missing 'the'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “slamming brakes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.