1
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered a sharp bang that rattled the door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in claps
a loud explosive sound
a sudden bang made the cat jump
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in kicks
a pleasurably intense stimulation of the feelings
tried to get the most bang for her money at the attractions at the county fair
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in bumps
to come into usually forceful contact with something
the toy car banged into the wall and stopped
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slaps
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
idly banged trees with a stick
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in slams
to shove into a closed position with force and noise
stomped off to his room and banged the door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bangs
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 10 Mar. 2026
The look was completed with a side part and shaggy bangs.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Her natural-looking waves add movement and texture, while the barely there bangs bring an effortless quality to the look.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
Loud bangs and sirens sound in the background before a police van arrives on the scene.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Margot Robbie debuted a new lob and full bangs at the Chanel ready-to-wear show during Paris Fashion Week.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 9 Mar. 2026
Once it’s finished, Edgar-Jones clues us in to her absolutely perfect bangs.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2026
The look in question was from the March 10, 1997 pilot episode ‘Welcome to the Hellmouth’, in which Buffy dons a blue button-down top over a white tank top, complete with a messy updo and wispy bangs.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2026
Morgan Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Elleray, predictably, bangs the drum for VAR 10 years after IFAB gave it the green light.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Opt for wispy wisteria bangs for something low maintenance or turn up the face-framing flattery with a thicker curtain fringe.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 3 Mar. 2026
The sheep alien bangs its head on the glass in the nextdoor cell, startling Tootles, who falls over and spills the tray.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
Short hair is in the air in Paris, as Margot Robbie also debuted her new hair cut, a wavy bob that fell between her jawline and collarbone, paired with piecey bangs.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 10 Mar. 2026
The look was completed with a side part and shaggy bangs.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Her natural-looking waves add movement and texture, while the barely there bangs bring an effortless quality to the look.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
Loud bangs and sirens sound in the background before a police van arrives on the scene.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Margot Robbie debuted a new lob and full bangs at the Chanel ready-to-wear show during Paris Fashion Week.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 9 Mar. 2026
Once it’s finished, Edgar-Jones clues us in to her absolutely perfect bangs.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2026
The look in question was from the March 10, 1997 pilot episode ‘Welcome to the Hellmouth’, in which Buffy dons a blue button-down top over a white tank top, complete with a messy updo and wispy bangs.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.
—Morgan Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Elleray, predictably, bangs the drum for VAR 10 years after IFAB gave it the green light.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Opt for wispy wisteria bangs for something low maintenance or turn up the face-framing flattery with a thicker curtain fringe.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 3 Mar. 2026
The sheep alien bangs its head on the glass in the nextdoor cell, startling Tootles, who falls over and spills the tray.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bangs
Noun
-
The blows exchanged were so numerous that The Athletic had to assign Jack Lang to patiently trawl through footage of them all.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The MacBook Neo dealt a series of mighty blows to its budget PC competition, but that Lenovo machine’s Arm processor presented some challenges for the Apple laptop’s iPhone chip.—
Joe Osborne,
PC Magazine,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The latest in what appears to be an unending stream of storms thundered through the Bay Area on Tuesday, producing violent claps of thunder and lightning bright enough to light up momentarily the gray and sometimes dark sky.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
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These were claps of relief and encouragement from a European audience bracing for a mauling like JD Vance’s onslaught last year.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The purposeful kicks counter her body’s buoyancy, bringing her down to about 30 feet, then to neutral buoyancy for 10 more feet, and, finally, to negative buoyancy—or freefall, sinking—below 50 to 60 feet.—
Stella Fong,
Outside,
10 Mar. 2026
-
As a result, experts have recommended arriving at the airport extra early, especially as the popular spring break travel period kicks of in earnest.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX will start at $99,995, excluding a mandatory $2,595 destination fee that bumps the price to $102,590.—
Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
1 Jan. 2026
-
A day when the Stanley Cup years finally ride the synaptic road back to long-term memory and the brain finally bumps the past for the present.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Nahill is even featured in a video, indulgently attempting to snack on a donut, before Tyson, now a de facto spokesperson for HHS’ healthy foods initiatives, slaps it out of his hand.—
Chelsea Cirruzzo,
STAT,
27 Feb. 2026
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Is this violence different from the time in her childhood when Irene slaps her?—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When this valve slams shut, the entire network suffers a mechanical heart attack.—
Siddharth Misra,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
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Researchers tested whether a hardy bacterium could endure the crushing pressures generated when a space rock slams into a planet and ejects debris into space.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, neighbors can still hear the thumps.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Condominium-building booms are also transforming the skylines of developing cities such as Cairo, Kuala Lumpur, and São Paolo.—
M. Nolan Gray,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Huge booms were heard across the capital and large black smoke billowed from the Dahieh neighborhood in south Beirut, while an attack in central Beirut – where thousands of people are displaced – killed 8 people and injured 31, according to Lebanese officials.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bangs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bangs. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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