bash

verb \ ˈbash \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of bash

transitive verb

1 : to strike violently : hit; also : to injure or damage by striking : smash —often used with in

2 : to attack physically or verbally

media bashing

celebrity bashing

intransitive verb

: crash

—

basher

noun

— bash away

British, informal

: to work hard at something

That is exactly what I tell myself as I bash away in the gym …
—Jay Rayner

— bash on

British, informal

: to continue to work at something : carry on

… I'm a lot less sure about what I'm meant to be, or do, in a time of undeniable middle age. I guess I will just bash on as ever, and hope I don't appear too ridiculous as I do so.
—Becky Sheaves

— bash out

British, informal

: to produce (something) quickly : bang out

Three years ago Piaggio disappointed enthusiasts by axing the retro Vespa's production. But Indian company LML continued to bash out copies that flew out of the dealers, especially in Italy …
—Harriet Ridley

— bash up

chiefly British, informal

: to attack (someone) physically : to hit (someone) repeatedly

Umpires being lampooned or even bashed up [=beaten up] in schools, college and league cricket is hardly rare.
—Ayaz Memon

See bash defined for English-language learners

See bash defined for kids

Examples of bash in a Sentence

I bashed my arm against the door.
Someone bashed him over the head with a chair.
They tried to bash the door open.

Recent Examples of bash from the Web

Yet Blockers maintains a light touch, managing to have plenty of gross bodily fluids as well as an inherently feminist worldview, without ever bashing you over the head with its wokeness.

— anna silman, The Cut, "Gideon Adlon Is Ready for Anything," 6 Apr. 2018
Dargan’s partner was not injured, but the crash bashed in the cruiser’s rear bumper.

— matthew ormseth, courant.com, "State Police: Hartford Woman, Under the Influence, Crashes Into State Police Cruiser," 1 Apr. 2018
The group used corporate donations to finance a film bashing Hillary Clinton, titled Hillary: The Movie.

— kim phillips-fein, The New Republic, "The 200-year legal struggle that led to Citizens United and gave corporations the rights of people," 29 Mar. 2018
Alice goes to The Serpents to thank them and apologize for bashing them in The Register and swears that’s over.

— refinery29.com, "Riverdale Season 2, Episode 17 Recap: "The Noose Tightens"," 29 Mar. 2018
That’s in part because Democrats bash them for falling short of full funding, even though funding also ran short when Democrats led the Legislature.

— jeff amy, The Seattle Times, "Democrats seek to change the terms of school funding debate," 17 Feb. 2018
People on Twitter are now bashing Kim for not giving proper credit to a hairstyle literally laced with black culture.

— kelsey stiegman, Seventeen, "Kim Kardashian Got Cornrows and People Have a LOT of Feelings," 29 Jan. 2018
In the 24 hours since the first excerpt was published in the Daily Intelligencer, Trump has bashed and renounced Steve Bannon, sicced his lawyers on the publisher seeking to stop the book's release, and threatened to sue Bannon as well.

— tess koman, Cosmopolitan, "5 Bombshell Revelations About Donald & Melania's Relationship From New, Behind-the-Scenes Book," 4 Jan. 2018
The spats, many of which have gone down on Twitter, have involved Khloé Kardashian and West bashing Rose for her past as a stripper.

— refinery29.com, "Taylor Swift's Sweet Surprise For Amber Rose & Wiz Khalifa's Son Isn't Kimye Shade," 21 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bash.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of bash

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1744

See Words from the same year

bash Synonyms

Synonyms

bang, bat, belt, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, crack, hammer, hit, knock, nail, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, swipe, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, zap;

scuff;

bunt, flick, stroke, tap;

bump, butt, jab, jostle, kick, knee, poke, prod, push, shove, stamp;

bowl (down or over), cream, deck, fell, floor, knock down, level;

rabbit-punch, sucker punch;

cane, club, cudgel, flail, flog, lash, sap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, spear, stab, switch, thrash, whip;

bean, brain, conk, skull;

Phrases

hang one on;

bash

noun

Definition of bash

1 : a forceful blow

2 : a festive social gathering : party

3 chiefly British : try, attempt

have a bash at it

See bash defined for English-language learners

Examples of bash in a Sentence

We threw her a birthday bash.
She gave me a bash on the head.

Recent Examples of bash from the Web

This bash will feature entertainment spectacles, cultural performances, live music and games.

— Houston Chronicle, "Family Fun: Art Car Parade and Houston Japan Festival," 11 Apr. 2018
For Giroux, who a year ago seemed to be a player in rapid decline — his wrists, his hips, his core muscles all adding wear and tear to a body and a style that never seemed built particularly well for this bash-body game.

— sam donnellon, Philly.com, "Playoffs finally assured, Flyers' Claude Giroux allows himself a smile | Sam Donnellon," 7 Apr. 2018
The dithering middle-age killjoys follow the girls, and their dates, from prom to lakeside after-party to hotel bash.

— michael phillips, chicagotribune.com, "'Blockers' review: John Cena, Leslie Mann play parents out to stop a prom night sex pact," 5 Apr. 2018
This year's fourth (and sadly final) annual celebration of local female and female-identifying musicians brings more than a dozen acts to the Burlington for a daylong bash that starts at 2 PM on Saturday, April 7.

— leor galil, Chicago Reader, "Sunshine Boys pool decades of indie-rock experience on Blue Music," 3 Apr. 2018
Patrick wasn’t on hand for Rodgers’ birthday bash in December, and the quarterback celebrated his 34th year with ex-girlfriend Jessica Szohr instead.

— Fox News, "Aaron Rodgers helps Danica Patrick celebrate her 36th birthday in Mexico," 28 Mar. 2018
What makes this annual sports bash so great, of course, is that delightfully predictable unpredictability.

— jason gay, WSJ, "College Basketball Is Yuck. March Madness Is Delicious," 18 Mar. 2018
In February 2016, in honor of Amber's 30th birthday, Naya, Kevin, and Jenna joined her for a glamorous b-day bash.

— andrea park, Teen Vogue, ""Glee" Stars Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Naya Rivera, and More Reunited for a "Beautiful Night"," 8 Mar. 2018
According to a complaint filed Thursday in L.A. County Superior Court, Hammer and Chambers were both on the guest list for the exclusive bash.

— ashley cullins, The Hollywood Reporter, "Elizabeth Chambers, Armie Hammer's Wife, Sues Imposter Who Sought Oscar Bash Invite," 2 Mar. 2018

Origin and Etymology of bash

noun derivative of ¹bash

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1805

See Words from the same year

bash Synonyms

Synonyms

bang, bat, beat, belt, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, lash, lick, pelt, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, stroke, swat, swipe, switch, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop (also whap);

body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut;

cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO;

battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling (or cudgelling), drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling (also pummelling), thrashing;

flogging, walloping, whip, whipping;

BASH Defined for English Language Learners

bash

verb

Definition of bash for English Language Learners

: to cause or allow (something, such as part of your body) to hit something very hard or forcefully
: to hit (someone or something) very hard or forcefully
: to hurt or damage (something) by hitting or beating