clashed; clashing; clashes
1
: to make a clash
cymbals clashed
2
: to come into conflict
Where ignorant armies clash by night.—
Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold
also
: to be incompatible
the colors clashed
: to cause to clash
clasher
noun
1
: a noisy usually metallic sound of collision
2
a
: a hostile encounter : skirmish
b
: a sharp conflict
a clash of opinions
Examples of clash in a Sentence
Verb
Police and protesters clashed yesterday.
The sofa and the chair clash.
She ended the song by clashing the cymbals.
Noun
Hundreds were killed in ethnic clashes in the region last month.
a clash between rival gangs that resulted in some serious injuries
Recent Examples on the Web
Michelle Grabner, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
As the moon and Jupiter clash, relax and accept the assist!
—Usa Today, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
The moon’s clash with Jupiter is a confidence booster, but don’t be shocked by a mid-day mood swing.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clash
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Verb
Competing civic interests and institutional missions inevitably clash, particularly when promises of cultural visibility and community representation are made simultaneously.
—Michelle Grabner, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
As the moon and Jupiter clash, relax and accept the assist!
—Usa Today, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
Although embedded in spectacle culture, these events occasionally presented the possibility of truly poetic clashes between languages and artistic traditions—what Glissant calls an éclat, collisions that create sparks of novelty.
—Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
The moon’s clash with Jupiter is a confidence booster, but don’t be shocked by a mid-day mood swing.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clash
Cite this Entry
“Clash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clash. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clash
1 of 2 verb1
: to make a clash
clashing cymbals
2
a
: to come into conflict
pickets clashed with the police
b
: to not match well
our ideas clashed
some colors clash
clasher
noun
clash
2 of 2 noun1
: a loud sharp sound usually of metal striking metal
the clash of swords
2
: a sharp fight or strong disagreement
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