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
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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
-
By all accounts, virality is violent for its subjects, and building a sustainable career from sudden celebrity is a formidable task; any sensible person would be wise to distrust such an instantaneous anointing.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The election comes amid a surge in violent crime and corruption that has fueled widespread discontent among voters, who largely view candidates as dishonest and unprepared for the presidency.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Blown out, extravagant, dripping with ferocious malaise and desperation, but precisely arranged for the maximum possible emotional effect.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Otters are part of the weasel family (Mustelidae), which includes some of nature’s most ferocious pint-sized predators, such as badgers, martens, and wolverines.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Dozens of protesters died, and not long afterward Ceaușescu, while delivering a speech from the balcony of the Communist Party’s Bucharest headquarters, was jeered into silence by a furious public.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The symptoms seemed so disparate, like distinct mugshots neatly pinned to an evidence board without any bold red strings or furious circles to show connection.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Some diehard Beliebers—Justin’s fiercest fans—were already camped out near the front barricades.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Competition is fierce within China’s tech sector.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The roots of the day, also celebrated as International Workers Day, go back over a century to a turbulent and pivotal time in labor history.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Banning State Park Sandstone, Minnesota Ninety miles north of Minneapolis on I-35 near the town of Sandstone, thrill-seekers, whitewater canoeists, and kayakers venture to Banning State Park for the turbulent rapids of the Kettle River.—
Joie Probst,
Midwest Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s also really great parenting body horror in the show, like when Bodhi has explosive diarrhea into your mouth.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The result is wage compression at the bottom and explosive wealth creation at the top — with the upper-middle class caught awkwardly in between, statistically thriving but existentially anxious.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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With climate change causing storms to be stronger and rougher than in the past, communities up and down the California coast are facing a similar challenge, as other aging wooden piers suffer damage, leaving cities facing large bills while the public clamors to keep the popular attractions open.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
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Using your fingers and the outside edges of your palms, press in any rough spots or remaining dry bits of dough.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bang-bang.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bang-bang. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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