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

Outside the ring, Punk bashed Rhodes’ head into the announce table repeatedly. — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

The themes are about honor and destiny; there are massively violent battle scenes; one character ends up with the entire back half of his skull bashed in. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2026

Noun

Her celebrity status was on the rise through the 1990s — she was photographed grinning with Rosie O’Donnell and Bette Midler at an A-list Halloween bash in New York City in 1998. — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026

Acing maternity style while heavily pregnant at the Vanity Fair Oscars bash, Hathaway looked every inch the glowing first-time mom-to-be in a metallic and black Naeem Khan kaftan gown, Irene Neuwirth earrings, and a Jimmy Choo clutch. — Freya Drohan, InStyle, 26 July 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

• bash away
• bash on
• bash out
• bash up
• 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