bash

1 of 2

verb

ˈbash 

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

see also bash away, bash on, bash out, bash up

bash

2 of 2

noun

1

: a forceful blow

2

: a festive social gathering : party

3

chiefly British : try, attempt

have a bash at it

Synonyms of bash

Verb

• bump
• slam
• bang
• smash
• collide
• hit
• knock
• crash
• ram

Noun

• blow
• slap
• hit
• thump
• punch
• swipe
• knock
• whack
• thud
• poke
• pound
• slam
• bang
• smack
• stroke
• spank
• lick
• beat

Examples of bash in a Sentence

Verb

I bashed my arm against the door.

Someone bashed him over the head with a chair.

They tried to bash the door open.

Noun

We threw her a birthday bash.

She gave me a bash on the head.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Every other email Newsom’s staff pushes out has something bashing Trump, as Gavin campaigns for the White House using California taxpayer dollars. —John Moorlach, Oc Register, 14 Jan. 2026

As Hodges stood there, scared and vulnerable, the man grabbed his baton and bashed him on the head with it, rupturing his lip and smashing his skull. —Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026

Noun

Many of those groups are equity holders in various Fanatics businesses, and an even greater number feature heavily at events like Fanatics Fest, Rubin’s White Parties and his annual Super Bowl bash. —Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 13 Jan. 2026

Rather than the usual palace ballroom festivities, Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter held a birthday bash in the Britannia’s state dining room (per Reader’s Digest). —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

Noun

noun derivative of bash entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1744, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bash

• beat/bash someone's brains out/in
• have a bash

Rhymes for bash

• ash
• brash
• cache
• cash
• clash
• crash
• dash
• flash
• gash
• hash
• lash
• mash

Kids Definition

bash

verb

ˈbash

1

: to strike violently : beat

2

: to smash by a blow

3

: crash entry 1 sense 1a