as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort
the design team has been banging away at that project for months
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Recent Examples of bang away
Brian Cashman gets it all the time, but good, from Yankee fans; for them, banging away at Cashman on social media feels like the real national pastime.
—
Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2025
Former staff leaked internal spats and embarrassing editorial ideas by the new leadership and pointed out that many top leaders were banging away at stories that were likely below their pay grade.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 June 2025
One of the roadies came out to bang away on the piano, the notes more felt than heard, part of the noise.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2024
As several drummers banged away, Vázquez danced near a table and teammates clapped along to the music, including a spirited effort from Royce Lewis.
—Dan Hayes, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
Norton remembers banging away on his dad’s Smith Corona typewriter in the den.
—Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024
The manager demonstrated how to use the rock hammers, and then people got to banging away, trying to find opals in the rock.
—Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 31 Jan. 2024
There’s John in his apartment in New York City, banging away at his piano, doing a little demo.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2023
There’s John in his apartment in New York City, banging away at his piano, doing a little demo.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Nov. 2023
Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2025
Former staff leaked internal spats and embarrassing editorial ideas by the new leadership and pointed out that many top leaders were banging away at stories that were likely below their pay grade.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 June 2025
One of the roadies came out to bang away on the piano, the notes more felt than heard, part of the noise.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2024
As several drummers banged away, Vázquez danced near a table and teammates clapped along to the music, including a spirited effort from Royce Lewis.
—Dan Hayes, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
Norton remembers banging away on his dad’s Smith Corona typewriter in the den.
—Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024
The manager demonstrated how to use the rock hammers, and then people got to banging away, trying to find opals in the rock.
—Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 31 Jan. 2024
There’s John in his apartment in New York City, banging away at his piano, doing a little demo.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2023
There’s John in his apartment in New York City, banging away at his piano, doing a little demo.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bang away
Verb
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In addition to market volatility, Generation X is struggling with inflation.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
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Hudson’s daughter, Ricky (Perry Mattfield), who works as an assistant coach, is a former track star who lost her confidence after an injury and now struggles to get the other Catfish coaches (including her dad) to take her seriously.—
Kristen Baldwin,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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These women, many of whom worked in relative obscurity for all their lives, labored to redefine the rights and dignity of all people.—
Time,
Time,
22 Sep. 2025
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Hammond labored 50 hours over a two week span to create her project.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When Volume One of the forecast was released for 2024, the paint brand strived to frame its collection as objectively as possible.—
Tim Nelson,
Architectural Digest,
24 Sep. 2025
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The true story of Spain’s cricket team striving to qualify for the Olympics, uniting diverse communities through a sport largely unknown in Spain.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Every single day, it's been a pleasure coming to work and putting on the orange and blue.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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The individual was discovered inside one of the main landing gear compartments while the maintenance crew was working on the aircraft, which had arrived from Europe, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a news release.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bang away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bang%20away. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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