as in hammering
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1
as in bumping
to come into usually forceful contact with something
the car bashed into the tree with glass-shattering force
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slamming
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
you have to bash that door hard in order to get it open
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in licking
to strike repeatedly
the angry child kept bashing her toy with a hammer until it broke
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in attacking
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
in all of talk radio no other host seems to enjoy bashing liberals as much as he does
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Recent Examples of bashing
Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Powell, known for a cool head and a quiet demeanor, has consistently avoided direct confrontations with Trump, even as the president's personal displeasure with the Fed chair escalated from behind the scenes pressure to public bashing.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 21 Jan. 2026
In the same way that writing had taught me to pay attention to life, to perpetually hoover up sensory details and bits of dialogue around me, trash bashing cultivated a new propensity for seeing interesting possibilities in everyday items.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
Those optics gave Democrats, particularly the moderate gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey and Virginia, room to run on the economy while largely steering clear of Trump-bashing.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
In 2025, for all the play’s bickering and bashing, the eventual trajectory of Art feels almost saccharine.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
There was much Trump-bashing and promises to make California more affordable.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
The shot of drummer Ilan Rubin pairs a jangly guitar with snare bashing.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
Andy Cohen isn’t letting Bad Bunny trolls get away with bashing the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
Soon, Hegseth jumped on the Harvard-bashing train, a kind of me-too move similar to the secretary’s clumsy attempts to involve himself in the administration’s immigration mayhem in Minnesota.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
Cameron’s team is bashing the Emerson College poll.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 5 Feb. 2026
But the damage this episode of Europe-bashing and open colonial avarice has done is real and enduring.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
Every other email Newsom’s staff pushes out has something bashing Trump, as Gavin campaigns for the White House using California taxpayer dollars.
—John Moorlach, Oc Register, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
But Beshear hasn’t turned Trump-bashing into a 24/7 vocation, or a weight-lifting contest where the winner is the critic wielding the heaviest bludgeon.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Powell, known for a cool head and a quiet demeanor, has consistently avoided direct confrontations with Trump, even as the president's personal displeasure with the Fed chair escalated from behind the scenes pressure to public bashing.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 21 Jan. 2026
In the same way that writing had taught me to pay attention to life, to perpetually hoover up sensory details and bits of dialogue around me, trash bashing cultivated a new propensity for seeing interesting possibilities in everyday items.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
Those optics gave Democrats, particularly the moderate gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey and Virginia, room to run on the economy while largely steering clear of Trump-bashing.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
In 2025, for all the play’s bickering and bashing, the eventual trajectory of Art feels almost saccharine.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
There was, unsurprisingly, a great deal of Trump-bashing and much talk of affordability, or rather, the excruciating lack of it in this priciest of states.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
There was much Trump-bashing and promises to make California more affordable.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
The shot of drummer Ilan Rubin pairs a jangly guitar with snare bashing.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
Andy Cohen isn’t letting Bad Bunny trolls get away with bashing the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
Soon, Hegseth jumped on the Harvard-bashing train, a kind of me-too move similar to the secretary’s clumsy attempts to involve himself in the administration’s immigration mayhem in Minnesota.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
Cameron’s team is bashing the Emerson College poll.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 5 Feb. 2026
But the damage this episode of Europe-bashing and open colonial avarice has done is real and enduring.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
Every other email Newsom’s staff pushes out has something bashing Trump, as Gavin campaigns for the White House using California taxpayer dollars.
—John Moorlach, Oc Register, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bashing
Noun
-
Baupost Group’s Seth Klarman picked up Amazon in the fourth quarter, a bet that has yet to work out for the value investor this year as tech stocks take a hammering.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2026
-
At Anitra Coulter Blunt's Cedar Park home, the hammering and sawing is music to this musician's ears.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The vibe is flirty but chic—ready for low lighting, a wine list, and knees bumping beneath the table.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
3 Mar. 2026
-
On the walk back, Lilian noticed a girl, a head taller than Jude, keeping to his side, sometimes bumping into him.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Drivers are sending last-minute emails, riding each other’s bumpers, going too fast or too slow, slamming on their brakes, not letting each other merge.—
Rose Evans
Updated March 3,
Idaho Statesman,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Then, just as abruptly, the plane lurched up, slamming everyone back to the ground.—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
On April 30, 2025, the dog was reportedly licking its tail and lethargic.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Son disappeared from public view, licking his wounds while also plotting his comeback.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The remark, which spread quickly across news and social media, implied that Israel pushed the US into attacking.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
-
On Thursday, Azerbaijan accused Iran of attacking it with drones — though Tehran denied that.—
Jon Gambrell,
Twin Cities,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The first was at Wolverhampton Wanderers, then the second was in the closing stages of the thrashing of Crystal Palace at Elland Road.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Stevenson played his best game in the Pats’ regular-season finale, a 38-10 thrashing of Miami.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Mosaku said, banging the counter.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Everyone’s hitting, banging bodies.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Itoje was sin-binned in the 64th for illegally slapping the ball in a maul and 13 men were playing Italy's 15.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
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As opposed to slapping a host of aerodynamic elements on there, Xiaomi's designers integrated the aerodynamics into the car's shape itself.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bashing. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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