slam dunk

¹

noun

1. Basketball. a particularly forceful, often dramatic dunk shot.
2. Slang. something regarded as certain to occur or be accomplished, typically something desirable that requires little further effort:

   The election is starting to look like a slam dunk for our side.

slam-dunk

²

[ slam-duhngk ]

verb (used with object)

1. Basketball. to dunk (the ball) with great force.

slam dunk

noun

1. basketball a scoring shot in which a player jumps up and forces the ball down through the basket
2. informal.
   a task so easy that success in it is deemed a certainty

verb

1. basketball to jump up and force (a ball) through a basket

Other Words From

• slam dunker noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of slam dunk¹

First recorded in 1975–80

Idioms and Phrases

A forceful, dramatic move, as in That indictment was a slam dunk if ever there was one . This expression is also often put as a verb, slam-dunk , meaning “make a forceful move against someone,” as in This is a great chance for us to slam-dunk the opposition . The idiom comes from basketball, where it refers to a dramatic shot in which the ball is thrust into the basket from above the rim. It was transferred to other activities from about 1980 on.

Example Sentences

This is for the seat of retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow, so it’s slightly more up-in-the-air than usual and not a slam dunk for Dems.

From Slate

Then there was the classified documents case, which Bowman called a “slam dunk,” but which Garland also delayed.

From Slate

“Jeff has a really soft hand and knows how to weave things out of a scene that are funny and fun and playful but not necessarily like a slam dunk, but collectively it makes his performance so rich and specific to him,” Everett says.

From Los Angeles Times

“If you’re over 75 — slam dunk, you should also get a RSV shot,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

It also aims to be a slam dunk venue for music fans.

From Los Angeles Times