clashed; clashing; clashes
1
: to make a clash
cymbals clashed
2
: to come into conflict
where ignorant armies clash by night—
Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold
also
: to be incompatible
the colors clashed
: to cause to clash
clasher
noun
1
: a noisy usually metallic sound of collision
2
a
: a hostile encounter : skirmish
b
: a sharp conflict
a clash of opinions
Examples of clash in a Sentence
Verb
Police and protesters clashed yesterday.
The sofa and the chair clash.
She ended the song by clashing the cymbals.
Noun
Hundreds were killed in ethnic clashes in the region last month.
a clash between rival gangs that resulted in some serious injuries
Recent Examples on the Web
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Both drivers clashed for 10 laps for the eleventh spot.
—Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Take Khaite’s fall 2025 runway, where an argyle knit was paired with leather pants and an oversized fur coat—an unexpected clash that made the pattern feel new again.
—Minty Mellon, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clash
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Verb
In the 1960s, the Smothers Brothers, aka Tom and Dick Smothers, pushed the boundaries of what was considered appropriate social comedy in their CBS series, clashing with the network over their content and hosting Black civil rights activist Harry Belafonte on the show.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Both drivers clashed for 10 laps for the eleventh spot.
—Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
The clash drew strong reactions not only from civil liberties advocates but also from entertainment industry peers and media watchdogs.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Take Khaite’s fall 2025 runway, where an argyle knit was paired with leather pants and an oversized fur coat—an unexpected clash that made the pattern feel new again.
—Minty Mellon, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clash
Cite this Entry
“Clash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clash. Accessed 26 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clash
1 of 2 verb1
: to make a clash
clashing cymbals
2
a
: to come into conflict
pickets clashed with the police
b
: to not match well
our ideas clashed
some colors clash
clasher
noun
clash
2 of 2 noun1
: a loud sharp sound usually of metal striking metal
the clash of swords
2
: a sharp fight or strong disagreement
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