as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
the film lacks compelling characters, but it has plenty of bang-bang action
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bang-bang
Sometimes these are bang-bang things.
—
David Aldridge, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
On second down, Gonzalez stapled himself to Bills receiver Keon Coleman in man coverage, then drifted expertly in zone to jump Khalil Shakir from behind on a bang-bang incompletion that forced a field goal attempt.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Despite the bang-bang nature of the play, To’oTo’o was called for unnecessary roughness.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Ortiz was standing behind Lowe as the bang-bang play unfolded.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025
He’s also involved in some dodgy side hustles, which leads to a lot of peripheral gunplay and tangential, ha-ha–bang-bang set pieces that feel cherry-picked from Coen’s back catalog.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
The bang-bang ending gave Colorado (35-89) its third straight win and clinched the four-game series with the Diamondbacks.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
David Aldridge, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
On second down, Gonzalez stapled himself to Bills receiver Keon Coleman in man coverage, then drifted expertly in zone to jump Khalil Shakir from behind on a bang-bang incompletion that forced a field goal attempt.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Despite the bang-bang nature of the play, To’oTo’o was called for unnecessary roughness.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Ortiz was standing behind Lowe as the bang-bang play unfolded.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025
He’s also involved in some dodgy side hustles, which leads to a lot of peripheral gunplay and tangential, ha-ha–bang-bang set pieces that feel cherry-picked from Coen’s back catalog.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
The bang-bang ending gave Colorado (35-89) its third straight win and clinched the four-game series with the Diamondbacks.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bang-bang
Adjective
-
Again, legal observers and ordinary citizens captured his violent death from several angles.—
Nick Woltman,
Twin Cities,
22 Feb. 2026
-
As the hours passed, violent events were replicated in Colima, Nayarit, Aguascalientes and Guanajuato, where blockades and attacks on infrastructure are multiplying.—
Claudia Núñez,
AZCentral.com,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This time, the soloist was the stellar emerging pianist Yunchan Lim, who keeps to himself, either lost in dreamy reverie or, like a jumpy teenager, in ferocious attack mode.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Fullerton's ferocious winds toppled trees onto homes, cars and trucks, jolting neighbors awake early Wednesday morning.—
Michele Gile,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Some still vividly recall the heavy, thick pall of smoke that drifted through the entire region, fed by furious wildfires to the east and north.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Both of these rabbis were already furious about the formation of the American Council for Judaism, an anti-Zionist organization that a group of German Jews, including Julian, had founded in 1942.—
Nicholas Lemann,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Born in 1941 to an unwed teenage mother in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson turned heads early with his fierce drive and athletic ability.—
Mark Whitaker,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Göransson saw off fierce competition, including Alexandre Desplat, a 13-time nominee and three-time winner of the category; the latter was nominated for his score for Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Though the region of the Milky Way called the Galactic Center is expected to be replete with pulsars, spotting them is challenging because of how extreme, turbulent, and densely packed the heart of our galaxy is.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
21 Feb. 2026
-
It’s been a turbulent few years for Ubisoft.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
As a 21-year-old rookie for the Cardinals in 2021, Moore caught 54 passes, displaying the explosive talent many had expected.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Evidence recovered during the investigation included multiple books related to extremist ideologies — spanning right- and left-wing extremism, environmental extremism, white supremacy and anti-government beliefs — as well as explosive materials and components, according to McMahill.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Frog Lake huts are remote structures miles from the Boreal Ski Resort and are in an area known for being prone to avalanches and difficult to reach in winter due to rough conditions, according to the Truckee Donner Land Trust.—
Noe Padilla,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Tricia Tuttle has had a rough week.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bang-bang.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bang-bang. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
