twang

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
a
: nasal speech or resonance
b
: the characteristic speech of a region, locality, or group of people
2
: a harsh quick ringing sound like that of a plucked banjo string
3
a
: an act of plucking
b
twangy adjective

twang

2 of 3

verb

twanged; twanging ˈtwaŋ-iŋ How to pronounce twang (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to sound with a twang
the couch twanged when he sat down
2
: to speak or sound with a nasal intonation
3
: to throb or twitch with pain or tension

transitive verb

1
: to cause to sound with a twang
2
: to utter or pronounce with a nasal twang
3
: to pluck the string of
twang a guitar
twanger noun

twang

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: a persisting flavor, taste, or odor : tang
2

Examples of twang in a Sentence

Verb The rope twanged when it snapped. He was twanging the strings of the guitar.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
As the twangs and strums from musicians lifted into the sky, visitors rolled into town with campers and pickups, rattling VW buses and Subarus equipped for camping. Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2024 The Texan with the rich, confident twang brings to the table a slightly more polished production here, but still squarely traditional enough to declare his talents on equal footing with many of today’s hitmakers such as labelmate Cody Johnson. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2024
Verb
The practice of rewriting the lyrics and twanging up old rock songs is on the way to becoming a tradition for country music, with more on the way. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2023 Other types of biologically active molecules can also twang the delicate neurons, interfering with thoughts, memories and behaviors. Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 20 June 2023 See all Example Sentences for twang 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'twang.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

imitative

Noun (2)

alteration of tang

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1553, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1570, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of twang was circa 1553

Dictionary Entries Near twang

Cite this Entry

“Twang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twang. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

twang

1 of 2 noun
1
: a harsh quick ringing sound
2
: nasal speech

twang

2 of 2 verb
twanged; twanging ˈtwaŋ-iŋ How to pronounce twang (audio)
1
: to sound or cause to sound with a twang
2
: to speak with a nasal twang

More from Merriam-Webster on twang

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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