clashed; clashing; clashes
1
: to make a clash
cymbals clashed
2
: to come into conflict
Where ignorant armies clash by night.—
Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold
also
: to be incompatible
the colors clashed
: to cause to clash
clasher
noun
1
: a noisy usually metallic sound of collision
2
a
: a hostile encounter : skirmish
b
: a sharp conflict
a clash of opinions
Examples of clash in a Sentence
Verb
Police and protesters clashed yesterday.
The sofa and the chair clash.
She ended the song by clashing the cymbals.
Noun
Hundreds were killed in ethnic clashes in the region last month.
a clash between rival gangs that resulted in some serious injuries
Recent Examples on the Web
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
Follow Jennifer Lawrence’s lead, and add a little power clashing to your cold weather wardrobe.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2025
Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Mercury’s clash with Uranus encourages you to quit fighting the inevitable.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clash
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Verb
The two countries have long disagreed on stretches of their 500-mile border that had been demarcated under French colonial rule, especially around the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temples, and have clashed several times over the years, including between 2008 and 2011.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
Follow Jennifer Lawrence’s lead, and add a little power clashing to your cold weather wardrobe.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2025
Noun
Thailand launched airstrikes on Cambodian military positions on Monday after a clash the previous day in which one Thai soldier was killed and eight were wounded.
—Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Mercury’s clash with Uranus encourages you to quit fighting the inevitable.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clash
Cite this Entry
“Clash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clash. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clash
1 of 2 verb1
: to make a clash
clashing cymbals
2
a
: to come into conflict
pickets clashed with the police
b
: to not match well
our ideas clashed
some colors clash
clasher
noun
clash
2 of 2 noun1
: a loud sharp sound usually of metal striking metal
the clash of swords
2
: a sharp fight or strong disagreement
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