Should you use wack or whack? Actually, you can use either, but you have to be extra cautious because although they sound the same, they have different meanings. Wack describes something poor in skill or quality, and whack is a hard strike or to strike hard. Read on to more about these confusing words and how to use them.
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What Is Wack?
Wack is a slang term and an adjective that describes something as being done with poor skill or quality. It can also express that a situation is not good or in a state of disarray.
Wack can also be a noun for a crazy or highly unstable person, but wacko is much more common.
You may also have heard the term wack job. Sometimes, people spell it whack job, but the former is the preferred spelling. Either way, it’s a slang term for a person who is crazy or highly eccentric. It comes from the word wacky, an adjective to describe someone or something as crazy, highly odd, or eccentric.
Examples
- That guy is a real wack job and believes every insane conspiracy theory he hears.
- Nothing about this makes sense; everything seems completely wack.
- That job he did was so wack that we had to completely start over.
- This slogan is totally wack; who’s in charge here?
- Be careful of what you say around her; she’s a serious wack who’s easily triggered.
When and How to Use Wack?
Since wack is a slang term, you should avoid using it in professional or formal settings. If the term truly applies in such a setting, you should use non-slang terms to describe it.
Also, if a person truly has been diagnosed with a mental illness, you should avoid wack/wacko and wack job. In that situation, those terms would be insensitive and perhaps cruel. For instance, calling your hyperactive brother throwing a tantrum a wack job is in-bounds if not polite or helpful. Using that term for someone with bipolar disorder isn’t okay, at least not in public or that person’s presence.
What Is Whack?
Whack is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it means a hard strike; as a verb, it means to make a hard strike. Another noun meaning is an attempt at something, and it’s usually in a phrase like “take a whack.”
Now, let’s look at an odd exception with our two words. Although wack means bad, disordered, low-quality, etc., you don’t use it in “out of whack.” That phrase means things are disorganized, poorly done, and so on.
Examples
- With the volatile new manager, everything seems out of whack.
- You need a baseball bat to whack that piñata.
- Have you ever played the Whack Mole at the arcade?
- Let me get my paddle and take a whack at this.
- If you don’t crouch in that low doorway, you might whack your head.
- My leg took a hard whack when I slipped on that wet spot and fell.
- Did you see her whack the ball into the stands?
When and How to Use Whack?
In writing, you want to use whack for a hard strike or the act of making one. You do not use it to describe something as crazy, bad, disorganized, etc.
As a verb, it’s regular, so the past tense is whacked, and the present participle is whacking. Since it’s not a slang term, it’s okay to use in any situation.
What’s the Difference?
Both words are homophones, words that sound the same but are spelled differently. Aside from the fact that each can be a noun, that’s where the similarities end.
Wack is usually an adjective indicating poor quality, disorder, extreme eccentricity, and so on. On the other hand, whack is a noun or a verb indicating a forceful blow or making a forceful blow.
Don’t forget that, as previously noted, in the phrase “out of whack,” whack has the meaning of wack. No one would blame you for thinking that’s a little wack!
Which One Should You Use?
How do you remember when to use wack or whack?
If you want to say something is messed up or crazy, you want to use wack. To help remember that, associate it with the word wacky.
A whack is what can happen if you’re not looking where you’re going and walk into something. It’s also what you do when you strike something hard. Since whomp is a synonym, you can associate the two with wh in their spellings.
Final Thoughts
Knowing when and how to use wack or whack starts with knowing that despite sounding alike, they have totally different meanings. Remember, the word wack usually indicates things aren’t good or right in some way, while the definition of whack means a strong blow or making one. To help tell them apart, think that if you whack your head hard, you might feel totally wack.
