whoop ass

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiominformalslangAmerican

   To beat someone decisively in a fight or contest, or to punish them harshly.

   Grammar: Often used as a verb phrase: whoop ass on someone, or in the fixed phrase open a can of whoop-ass.

   Patterns

   • whoop ass on someone
   • open a can of whoop-ass on someone

   Our team is going to whoop ass on them in the finals.

   He threatened to whoop ass if the kids touched his truck again.

   The champion came out ready to whoop ass in round one.

2. 2noununcountableinformalslangAmerican

   A forceful beating or crushing defeat, or the aggressive energy needed to inflict one.

   Grammar: No plural and no article: they brought the whoop-ass.

   Patterns

   • a can of whoop-ass

   The coach promised to open a can of whoop-ass on the opposing defense.

   After weeks of training, she had plenty of whoop-ass left for the final match.

   The movie is mostly about a retired soldier and his whoop-ass.

Word forms

Common combinations

open a can of whoop-ass

The boxer said he planned to open a can of whoop-ass on his rival.

whoop ass on someone

Our robot is going to whoop ass on every other team here.

whooped ass

They totally whooped ass in the second half.

get your ass whooped

I got my ass whooped at chess last night.

Synonyms and how they differ

thrash

Thrash is more neutral and widely accepted, while whoop ass is crude slang with a boastful tone.

trounce

Trounce is a more standard word for a heavy defeat in sports, whereas whoop ass adds a rough, macho edge.

demolish

Demolish sounds more formal and is usually about contests, while whoop ass can also mean a physical fight or a scolding.

Opposites

Word family

whoop-ass adjective

describing something aggressive or tough, as in whoop-ass attitude

whoop verb

to give a loud cry of joy, the root of the expression

Practice

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