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

• sausage

Examples of banger in a Sentence

bangers and mash is classic British pub cuisine

Recent Examples on the Web

Hers is a banger about fractured trust and power struggles with a man who once steered her career. —Bryan West, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025

Another essential element is matching EDM’s bass drops and sonic bangers with the unwavering energy of toddlers. —Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025

In the early window, golf will have to compete with Giants rookie Jaxson Dart’s first career start under center, a regional intrigue that’ll tee up CBS’s coverage of a Ravens-Chiefs banger in the national slot. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2025

And please take this down and please keep me out of your ‘banger’ deportation videos. —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for banger

• ganger
• hangar
• hanger