bash

verb \ ˈbash \

|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

Examples: bash in a Sentence

Definition of bash

bashed; bashing; bashes

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

Barry said, which was to say that the F.B.I. hadn’t bashed in their door yet.

— gary shteyngart, The New Yorker, "The Luck of Kokura," 18 June 2018
The four-year-old celeb tot and her five-year-old cousin, Penelope Disick, celebrated their upcoming birthdays with an extravagant unicorn party that put all of our childhood bashes to shame.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "North West and Penelope Disick Just Had the Most Extra Unicorn Birthday Party and We're Jealous," 4 June 2018
President Trump’s policies remain popular with many Americans, which means Democrats need to find a campaign strategy beyond just bashing him.

— willie brown, San Francisco Chronicle, "Trump is more popular than Dems want to admit," 12 May 2018
Should a trade war turn political, the shock waves could even extend beyond metal-bashing industries.

— Bloomberg.com, "These Companies Are America’s Biggest Losers in a Trade War," 8 Mar. 2018
The ad was swiftly and widely bashed for making fun of people suffering from celiac disease, who cannot eat gluten for medical reasons.

— carolyn l. todd, SELF, "Party City Pulls Controversial Ad Calling Gluten-Free People 'Gross'," 25 Jan. 2018
Yet Mr Trump endorsed a communiqué with tough language on Russia at that same summit, and bashed Germany for being dependent on Russian gas.

— The Economist, "Vladimir Putin’s hopes for his long-awaited meeting with Donald Trump," 14 July 2018
Even in his first summer as a professional, Anderson bashed in Batavia and Greensboro.

— matthew defranks, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Searching for answers on Brian Anderson's superb season for the Marlins," 3 July 2018
Ontiveros then retired the next two batters before Williams bashed a shot to deep left to score both runs.

— ted dunnam, Houston Chronicle, "Little League baseball: Pearland East wins District 15 title," 29 June 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

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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

Audi plans a big bash to send off the e-tron in the U.S. later this year, but is keeping details under wraps.

— william boston, WSJ, "Start Your Engines: The Second Wave of Luxury Electric Cars," 22 June 2018
May 4-5 Party after dark at the Cleveland Museum of Art during another installment of their monthly MIX bash.

— cleveland.com, "20 things to do in Cleveland the weekend of May 3-6," 3 May 2018
Debauchery at the bash, insiders joked, ended at least one career annually.

— laurel rosenhall, San Francisco Chronicle, "Legislators not partying as hard as Capitol reels from #MeToo fallout," 21 Jan. 2018
An elephant that survived capture by Cuban revolutionaries in the late 1950s, a highway wreck and a burning ship is getting a 70th birthday bash at her Tennessee wildlife sanctuary on Friday.

— joe marusak, charlotteobserver, "She survived Castro, a crash and a burning ship. Now Shirley the elephant is turning 70," 5 July 2018
Many holiday plans were stunted, including the citywide Freedom over Texas bash at Eleanor Tinsley Park.

— craig hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, "Houstonians react to July 4th flooding on social media," 5 July 2018
This weekend is overflowing with festivals—including the Chosen Few Picnic and West Fest—but that's no reason to snub Dark Matter Coffee's annual block party, which this year becomes a two-day bash at Western and Chicago.

— leor galil, Chicago Reader, "Chicago neck breakers Nequient hit the road behind their scorching debut full-length," 3 July 2018
Julian serves up a slice of Mayberry with a homespun bash that includes a parade, a dance and the unfurling of a 30-by-60-foot American flag.

— karla peterson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "On the Fourth of July, count your San Diego blessings," 2 July 2018
On March 10, Kourtney and Younes attended Tristan Thompson's 27th birthday bash at Beauty & Essex, a restaurant in Los Angeles.

— victoria rodriguez, Seventeen, "A Complete Timeline of Kourtney Kardashian and Younes Bendjima's Relationship," 16 Apr. 2018

Origin and Etymology of bash

noun derivative of ¹bash

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1805

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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