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A slap on the wrist
Meaning
- A punishment that is considered far too mild for the offense committed. It suggests that the person got off easy.
Cynical, unimpressed
Used in a sentence
- They broke the rules but only got a slap on the wrist from the manager.
- That fine is just a slap on the wrist for a company that big.
- I was hoping for a real consequence, but it was just a slap on the wrist.
The backstory
The phrase evokes the imagery of a parent giving a child a light, playful swat to discourage bad behavior rather than a real disciplinary action.
Heard in
Nationwide
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