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
Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
After Bayern’s 2-1 win in the first leg, the soccer titans clash in Munich in what many consider an early final.
—Pueng Vongs, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
Markle and Middleton never reportedly had a close relationship, and clashes between the two were often reported by the press.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clash
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Verb
Industry insiders suggest the feud stems from clashing business interests and contract disputes, not personal drama, as the two have been trading subtle online jabs for months.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
After Bayern’s 2-1 win in the first leg, the soccer titans clash in Munich in what many consider an early final.
—Pueng Vongs, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun
The pair of Brooklyn North narcotics detectives involved in the clash thought the man matched the description of someone who had just made a drug sale, a police source said.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
Markle and Middleton never reportedly had a close relationship, and clashes between the two were often reported by the press.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clash
Cite this Entry
“Clash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clash. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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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