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

Built around these sentiments, this peppy banger from DJ BoBo is total Eurovision-grade cheese. —Nick Allen, Vulture, 13 May 2025

Life Kit heard from karaoke enthusiasts on how to pick a banger that will bring down the house. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 12 May 2025

Nelson proved to be a solid banger, but he’s also never averaged more than 0.83 points per game over any of his nine postseason runs. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 May 2025

There was a little girl having an absolute banger of a meltdown in the gift shop. —Staff Author, Parents, 5 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for banger

• ganger
• hangar
• hanger