as in struggling
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 banging 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
Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banging away
Verb
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In the poor quarters of New Delhi, households struggling to pay for gas fired up chulhas, old-school wood-burning stoves, and hoped their tinder supplies held.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Lillibridge says the prices are piling onto an already struggling industry.—
Lana Zak,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Montiel, 62, said Chavez’s legacy continues to reverberate as the union has pushed for improved working conditions for people laboring in extreme heat, at times without adequate breaks or water.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
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Doyley, who felt comfortable with her odds and wanted to continue laboring, argued during the hearing that C-sections carry their own dangers — including a risk of death.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There are the striving, dysfunctional parents, and the politically calculating peers.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
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Through the Daodejing, one of the central texts of Daoism, Laozi offers perspectives from a tumultuous period of status-striving in Chinese history – and shifts our focus from comparison and competition to contentment.—
Stephen Chen,
The Conversation,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And while Harrell continues his rehab, newcomer Cole Gonzales has been working with the first team, along with returner Grayson Loftis, who started seven games last season.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
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One player who’s looking forward to working with Corona is freshman Max DeHoyos.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Banging away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banging%20away. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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