banged; banging; bangs
1
: to strike sharply : bump
banged his knee
2
: to knock, hit, or thrust vigorously often with a sharp noise
banged the door shut
3
vulgar slang
: to have sexual intercourse with
1
: to strike with a sharp noise or thump
2
: to produce a sharp often metallic explosive or percussive noise or series of such noises
3
: to play a sport (such as basketball) in a very aggressive and forceful manner
bang for rebounds
1
: a resounding blow
2
: a sudden loud noise
—often used interjectionally
3
a
: a sudden striking effect
b
: a quick burst of energy
start off with a bang
c
: thrill
I get a bang out of all this—
W. H. Whyte
W. H. Whyte4
vulgar slang
a
: an act of copulation
b
: a sexual partner
5
informal
: exclamation point
plural bangs
US
: the front section of a person's hair when it is cut short and worn over the forehead
—usually used in plural
wore her bangs short
She had long hair with bangs.
In person, Miss Chin is small and pretty, with black button eyes, fluffy black bangs and dimples that show when she giggles …—Helen Lawrenson
Helen Lawrenson
banged; banging; bangs
: to cut (hair) short and squarely across
Phrases
bang for the buck
or less commonly bang for one's buck
or bang for the dollar
or bang for one's dollar
US, informal
: value received from outlay or effort
investment is yielding less bang for the buck—Fortune
Fortune"They are going to try to get the best bang for their dollar, and they have to do it this way." Brock Lesnar
Examples of bang in a Sentence
Verb (1)
the toy car banged into the wall and stopped
idly banged trees with a stick
stomped off to his room and banged the door
Noun (1)
delivered a sharp bang that rattled the door
a sudden bang made the cat jump
tried to get the most bang for her money at the attractions at the county fair
Adverb
The show began bang on time.
the reform movement was just beginning when it bang ran into opposition
Recent Examples on the Web
Nick Miller, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
If all of this were a subtle read of the American mainstream media’s inadequacy in covering Palestine with any amount of empathy, or its eagerness to bang the drum in support of America’s war games, that would be an unexpected, refreshingly subversive perspective.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Essence, 1 Oct. 2025
Her blonde hair was styled in loose waves with curtain bangs.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bang
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
For many, banging them in against the likes of Konyaspor and Goztepe last term is not a convincing retort to those questions.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
If all of this were a subtle read of the American mainstream media’s inadequacy in covering Palestine with any amount of empathy, or its eagerness to bang the drum in support of America’s war games, that would be an unexpected, refreshingly subversive perspective.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
The singer’s textured pixie, which was cut shorter in the back, had face-framing sideburns and curls that narrowly avoided being called bangs, is hard to miss, and now, just in time for fall, has been reintroduced on the front row.
—Essence, 1 Oct. 2025
Her blonde hair was styled in loose waves with curtain bangs.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bang
Cite this Entry
“Bang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bang. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bang
1 of 4 verb
: to beat, strike, or shut with a loud noise
bang
2 of 4 noun1
: a violent blow
2
: a sudden loud noise
3
a
: a quick burst of energy
start off with a bang
b
: a feeling of being thrilled or pleased
you'll get a bang out of this
bang
3 of 4 noun
: hair cut short across the forehead
—usually used in plural
bang
4 of 4 verb
: to cut (front hair) short and squarely across
Etymology
Verb
probably of Scandinavian origin
Noun
probably from earlier bangtail "a short tail (on a horse)"
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