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

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
Noun
Editor tip: One of the best features of this moisturizer is that it can be used on the body as well as this face, giving you even more bang for your buck from this affordable pick. Emily Orofino, Allure, 24 Oct. 2024 The Last Dance goes out with neither a bang nor a whimper, simply a farewell. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2024 The most noteworthy element of the look, however, was Lawrence's effortlessly chic bangs. Catherine Santino, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024 But in our eyes, the Holiday Beauty Haul is worth shopping for the gift sets alone — these high-value kits already offer you more bang for your buck, and Amazon is stacking up the discounts with additional price drops. Brittany Loggins, WWD, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bang 

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 31 Oct. 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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