bang

1 of 5

verb (1)

banged; banging; bangs

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

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

bang

2 of 5

noun (1)

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 thisW. H. Whyte
4
vulgar slang
a
: an act of copulation
b
: a sexual partner
5
informal : exclamation point

bang

3 of 5

adverb

: right, directly
ran bang up against more trouble

bang

4 of 5

noun (2)

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

bang

5 of 5

verb (2)

banged; banging; bangs

transitive verb

: 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 buckFortune
"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

Adverb The show began bang on time. the reform movement was just beginning when it bang ran into opposition
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
To win back these customers, Borden said McDonald’s is offering them more bang for their buck at the drive-thru, including bundles priced at $4 and below at 90% of its US locations. Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 The side bang revival has already been co-signed by Kelly Rowland, who wore voluminous bombshell side bangs with a glamorous curly bob, and Kirsten Dunst, who went for a wispier, more twee take complete with a black bow detail. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 13 Mar. 2024 On the edge of the club’s cavernous main room, Torres fluffed Patrón’s bangs with what looked like a Mason Pearson brush. Amanda Fortini, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 While higher prices typically indicate higher quality and more special features, there's plenty of bang for your buck in the vacuums closer to $100 as well. Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 And Mexico nearly got another in first-half stoppage time when Karla Nieto beat Naeher from distance only to see her right-footed shot bang off the bar. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 The reality star chose a chic black design and went for short, choppy bangs. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 From Alva Claire’s angled Marni brows to Latto’s undercut bangs, this week’s celebrity beauty looks are mood board-approved. Essence, 1 Mar. 2024 Shoppers are demanding more bang for the buck, putting middling brands in a difficult position and making luxury items harder to sell. Ishika Mookerjee, Fortune Asia, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
The presence on the bill of young Austin rock quarter Die Spitz reinforced the multi-generational vibes, as grizzled punks could be seen banging heads and pumping their fists right alongside headphone-wearing toddlers hoisted high on their parents’ shoulders. Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 17 Mar. 2024 If turkeys encroach into your space, scare them off by making a lot of noise, waving your hands, banging pots and pans, or squirting the birds with a garden hose. Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2024 But what’s more important than their red carpet debut is Good’s banging physique, as the actress never looked better. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 8 Mar. 2024 The Pirates had another near-miss three minutes into the second half when sophomore forward Tristan Martinez banged his shot off the crossbar following a corner kick by Ibarra. San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2024 Senior small forward Jordan Geronimo appeared to bang knees with Hawkeyes junior small forward Payton Sandfort in the first half and limped off the court. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2024 While driving to the basket, Garland banged the right side of his face into Celtics center Kristin Porzingis and suffered a fracture that required surgery. Tom Withers, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2024 Chad Smith strolled on stage at Innings Festival and banged a gong to usher in the lengthy instrumental jam that set the tone for Red Hot Chili Peppers’ performance at Tempe Beach Park. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 24 Feb. 2024 And with sophomore small forward Noah Batchelor’s left leg in a walking boot before the game, an already short bench got shorter when Geronimo appeared to bang his right knee against Iowa junior small forward Payton Sandfort’s knee with 4:45 left in the first half. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bang.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse bang hammering

Noun (2)

probably short for bangtail short tail

First Known Use

Verb (1)

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1828, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1874, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bang was circa 1550

Dictionary Entries Near bang

Cite this Entry

“Bang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bang. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bang

1 of 4 verb
: to beat, strike, or shut with a loud noise

bang

2 of 4 noun
1
: 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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