bang
1 of 5verb (1)
ˈbaŋ 
banged; banging; bangs
transitive verb
1
: to strike sharply : bump
banged his knee
2
: to knock, hit, or thrust vigorously often with a sharp noise
banged the door shut
3
vulgar slang : to have sexual intercourse with
intransitive verb
1
: to strike with a sharp noise or thump
2
: to produce a sharp often metallic explosive or percussive noise or series of such noises
3
: to play a sport (such as basketball) in a very aggressive and forceful manner
bang for rebounds
bang
2 of 5noun (1)
1
: a resounding blow
2
: a sudden loud noise —often used interjectionally
3
a
: a sudden striking effect
b
: a quick burst of energy
start off with a bang
c
: thrill
I get a bang out of all this
W. H. Whyte
W. H. Whyte4
vulgar slang
a
: an act of copulation
b
: a sexual partner
5
informal : exclamation point
bang
3 of 5adverb
: right, directly
ran bang up against more trouble
bang
4 of 5noun (2)
plural bangs
US
: the front section of a person's hair when it is cut short and worn over the forehead —usually used in plural
wore her bangs shortShe had long hair with bangs.In person, Miss Chin is small and pretty, with black button eyes, fluffy black bangs and dimples that show when she giggles … Helen Lawrenson
Helen Lawrensonbang
5 of 5verb (2)
banged; banging; bangs
transitive verb
: to cut (hair) short and squarely across
Phrases
bang for the buck or less commonly bang for one's buck or bang for the dollar or bang for one's dollar US, informal
: value received from outlay or effort
investment is yielding less bang for the buck Fortune
Fortune"They are going to try to get the best bang for their dollar, and they have to do it this way." Brock Lesnar
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- bash
- bump
- collide
- crash
- hit
- impact
- impinge
- knock
- ram
- slam
- smash
- strike
- swipe
- thud
Noun (1)
- bash
- bat
- beat
- belt
- biff
- blow
- bop
- box
- buffet
- bust
- chop
- clap
- clip
- clout
- crack
- cuff
- dab
- douse [British]
- fillip
- hack
- haymaker
- hit
- hook
- knock
- larrup [dialect]
- lash
- lick
- pelt
- pick
- plump
- poke
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slug
- smack
- smash
- sock
- spank
- stinger
- stripe
- stroke
- swat
- swipe
- switch
- thud
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- welt
- whack
- wham
- whop
- whap
Adverb
- directly
- forthwith
- headlong
- immediately
- incontinently
- instantaneously
- instanter
- instantly
- now
- PDQ
- plumb
- presently
- promptly
- pronto
- right
- right away
- right now
- right off
- straight off
- straightaway
- straightway
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adverb The show began bang on time. the reform movement was just beginning when it bang ran into opposition
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse bang hammering
Noun (2)
probably short for bangtail short tail
First Known Use
Verb (1)
circa 1550, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (1)
circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adverb
1828, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
1874, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
1874, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing bang
Kids Definition
bang 1 of 3
verb
ˈbaŋ
banged; banging
: to beat, strike, or shut with a loud noise
bang a drum
bang a door
bang
2 of 3noun
1
: a sudden loud noise
2
: a hard hit or blow
a bang on the head
3
: thrill entry 2 sense 1
I got a bang out of it.
bang
3 of 3noun
: hair cut short across the forehead —usually used in pl.
bangs 1 of 2
noun
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
- blows
- thumps
- thuds
- punches
- slaps
- swipes
- hits
- whacks
- strokes
- knocks
- licks
- pounds
- pokes
- smacks
- spanks
- clips
- claps
- lashes
- slams
- beats
- chops
- hooks
- thwacks
- bops
- swats
- socks
- biffs
- pelts
- kicks
- hands
- bashes
- whams
- switches
- belts
- smashes
- cuffs
- stripes
- raps
- hacks
- fillips
- welts
- whaps
- cracks
- bats
- plumps
- busts
- knees
- picks
- clouts
- wallops
- slugs
- lickings
- buffets
- haymakers
- dabs
- stingers
- swings
- douses
- boxes
- whops
- beatings
- larrups
- shivers
- counterblows
- lefts
- counterpunches
- body blows
- counterstrokes
- whips
- counter-blows
- counters
- uppercuts
- rabbit punches
- rights
- roundhouses
- sucker punches
- counter-strokes
- whippings
- thrashings
- batterings
- crunchers
- sidewinders
- knockdowns
- drubbings
- bastinadoes
- knockouts
- pastings
- one-twos
- kayos
- right-handers
- bastinades
- wallopings
- KOs
2
as in claps
a loud explosive sound a sudden bang made the cat jump Synonyms & Similar Words
- claps
- booms
- pops
- blasts
- thwacks
- thunderclaps
- crashes
- whacks
- slams
- roars
- cracks
- knocks
- smashes
- whumps
- snaps
- taps
- whomps
- reports
- clangs
- thunks
- whams
- howls
- clashes
- clanks
- raps
- blares
- outcries
- clamors
- hullabaloos
- clangors
- hubbubs
- uproars
- tumults
- hue and cries
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
- kicks
- thrills
- boots
- rushes
- wallops
- jollies
- frissons
- titillations
- shocks
- jolts
- buzzes
- charges
- highs
- exhilarations
- electrifications
- enjoyments
- lifts
- surprises
- pleasures
- arousals
- joys
- delights
- delectations
- intoxications
- entertainments
- fun
- treats
- amusements
- surprizes
- diversions
bangs
2 of 2verb
1
as in bumps
to come into usually forceful contact with something the toy car banged into the wall and stopped Synonyms & Similar Words
- bumps
- slams
- smashes
- crashes
- collides
- knocks
- rams
- thuds
- hits
- swipes
- impacts
- bounces
- bashes
- scrapes
- brushes
- glances
- impinges
- skips
- strikes
- clunks
- sweeps
- shaves
- ricochets
- kisses
- contacts
- pushes
- grazes
- lands
- rebounds
- nudges
- touches
- muscles
- skims
- jostles
- caroms
- presses
- bulldozes
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- misses
- skirts
2
as in punches
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner idly banged trees with a stick Synonyms & Similar Words
- punches
- slaps
- knocks
- hits
- claps
- smacks
- slams
- whacks
- clips
- pounds
- swipes
- strikes
- nails
- cracks
- thumps
- thwacks
- bats
- bobs
- kicks
- bashes
- bonks
- licks
- hammers
- bops
- flicks
- chops
- pokes
- swats
- taps
- socks
- zaps
- bludgeons
- stabs
- shoves
- raps
- jabs
- busts
- boxes
- pushes
- wallops
- clouts
- bumps
- biffs
- slugs
- belts
- tags
- clocks
- strokes
- smites
- pastes
- whales
- lashes
- clobbers
- peppers
- beats
- slashes
- mauls
- pelts
- slogs
- cuffs
- butts
- hangs one on
- pummels
- knees
- roughs
- scuffs
- whips
- buffets
- batters
- jostles
- stamps
- laces
- dumps
- flails
- bungs
- pommels
- mangles
- spears
- bunts
- conks
- prods
- beans
- canes
- drubs
- skulls
- floors
- creams
- thrashes
- switches
- knocks down
- sucker punches
- brains
- decks
- clubs
- fells
- sledgehammers
- lambasts
- cudgels
- levels
- lambastes
- sledges
- flogs
- rabbit-punches
- saps
- bowls (down or over)
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
- slams
- locks
- shuts
- closes
- latches
- stops
- seals
- chains
- battens (down)
- bars
- fastens
- bolts
- secures
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- opens
- unfastens
- unlatches
- unlocks
- unbars
- unbolts
- unseals
- nondelegate
- nondelegates
- nondeliberate
- nondelinquent
- nondeliveries
- nondelivery
- nondemanding
- nondemocratic
- nondenominated
- nondenominational
- nondenominationalism
- nondenominationalisms
- nondepartmental
- nondependent
- nondependents
- nondepletable
- nondepleting
- nondeposition
- nondepositions
- nondepressed
- nonderivative
- nonderivatives
- nondescript
- nondescriptive
- nondescriptly