banger

noun

bang·​er ˈbaŋ-ər 

1

British : sausage

2

British : firecracker

3

British : jalopy

4

informal : a forceful and aggressive athlete

Williamson, the 6- 7, 245-pound forward, is a versatile banger who loves to play inside and has a deft shooting touch.

—William C. Phoden

5

slang : a member of a street gang : gangbanger

He is disciplined, regimented, right down to the humiliating yet soothing ritual of picking up after his dog as he walks through the hood, past scornful young bangers …

—Mike Newirth

6

slang : an energetic song that is very striking or extraordinary

… it's a near-perfect hip-hop album for 2008, loaded with hardcore bangers, pop-friendly hooks, party anthems and confessional lyrics …

—Chuck Arnold

7

informal : an automobile or engine with a specified number of cylinders

—used in combination

When he first started driving Toyotas, they were four-bangers or V-6s …

—Jerry Garrett

Synonyms

• link
• sausage
• wurst

Examples of banger in a Sentence

bangers and mash is classic British pub cuisine

Recent Examples on the Web

There are those who have prayed for Drake’s downfall and there are others who doubted Kendrick’s ability to make a certified banger. —Angel Diaz, Billboard, 14 May 2024

In her monologue, Maya Rudolph went huge with a banger of a musical performance. —Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2024

Musically, expect the usual mix of pop bops, baroque ballads and club bangers. —Glen Weldon, NPR, 9 May 2024

He’s had a run of No. 1 records, club bangers, underground smashes and platinum LPs unlike anything rap has ever seen. —Shaheem Reid, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 May 2024

Recently, some of the world’s biggest pop stars have been eschewing bangers in favor of a more postmodern, self-referential approach to the form. —Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 3 May 2024

The Red banger for the slightly over 21 set, however, feels like the right choice for Nick’s hilariously bad dance routine that doesn’t help Jess with her depression, but is sure to get everyone else out of their funk. —Shannon Carlin, TIME, 3 May 2024

The irresistible nu-disco banger also stands as the longest charting song among women in Hot 100 history, with 77 total weeks. —Kyle Denis, Billboard, 2 May 2024

The Argentine star was back to his old self after a month-long injury layoff, scoring a scorching banger of a goal and delivering an assist in a 3-2 Inter Miami road win over Sporting Kansas City in front of 72,000 fans. —Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1