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Meaning & use

zapping

verb, noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈzæpɪŋ/
US/ˈzæpɪŋ/

“zapping” is a form of “zap”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. verbintransitiveinformal

    Quickly changing from one television channel to another, usually with a remote control.

    Grammar: No object: you zap around rather than zap the television.

    Patterns

    • zap around
    • zap through something
    • be zapping between something

    He spent the whole evening zapping around instead of watching one program.

    She was zapping between the news and a football match.

    Stop zapping and pick something to watch.

  2. verbtransitiveinformal

    Hitting or attacking someone or something with a sudden burst of energy or electricity.

    Grammar: Takes an object: zap a target, zap a bug.

    Patterns

    • zap something
    • zap someone with something

    In the game you zap the aliens with a laser gun.

    The electric fence zapped the dog when it touched the wire.

  3. noununcountableinformal

    The act of moving quickly from one channel, screen, or task to another.

    Grammar: Used as a noun, often after of or in phrases like channel zapping.

    Patterns

    • channel zapping
    • constant zapping

    Constant zapping makes it hard to follow any story.

    Channel zapping is common during advertisements.

Word forms

base formzap
third person singularzaps
past tensezapped
past participlezapped

Common combinations

zap around
We zapped around for ten minutes before finding a film.
zap through the channels
He zapped through the channels while dinner was cooking.
channel zapping
Channel zapping drives my father crazy.
zap a bug
The machine zaps bugs that fly into it.
zap someone with a laser
The player zapped the monster with a laser.

Synonyms and how they differ

channel-hop
British and informal; it means the same as zapping but is used mostly for television.
surf
Used in surfing channels; it suggests a slower, more relaxed movement than zapping.
switch
A neutral verb for changing channels; it does not suggest speed or restlessness.

Word family

zap verb
The base verb meaning to hit with energy or change channels quickly.
zapper noun
Informal word for a remote control.

Commonly confused: zapping or zipping?

zapping vs zipping

Zipping means closing something with a zipper or moving very fast; zapping is about bursts of energy or changing channels.

Practice

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