as in to struggle
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 bang away
Former staff leaked internal spats and embarrassing editorial ideas by the new leadership and pointed out that many top leaders were banging away at stories that were likely below their pay grade.
—
Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 June 2025
As several drummers banged away, Vázquez danced near a table and teammates clapped along to the music, including a spirited effort from Royce Lewis.
—Dan Hayes, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
One of the roadies came out to bang away on the piano, the notes more felt than heard, part of the noise.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2024
The manager demonstrated how to use the rock hammers, and then people got to banging away, trying to find opals in the rock.
—Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 31 Jan. 2024
Norton remembers banging away on his dad’s Smith Corona typewriter in the den.
—Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024
There’s John in his apartment in New York City, banging away at his piano, doing a little demo.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2023
There’s John in his apartment in New York City, banging away at his piano, doing a little demo.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Nov. 2023
Show business in all its forms was the family norm for Cassidy, who as a kid often wrote songs while banging away on neighbor Rosemary Clooney’s piano as her kids played basketball with their cousin George Clooney.
—Alicia Dennis, Peoplemag, 22 June 2023
Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 June 2025
As several drummers banged away, Vázquez danced near a table and teammates clapped along to the music, including a spirited effort from Royce Lewis.
—Dan Hayes, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
One of the roadies came out to bang away on the piano, the notes more felt than heard, part of the noise.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2024
The manager demonstrated how to use the rock hammers, and then people got to banging away, trying to find opals in the rock.
—Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 31 Jan. 2024
Norton remembers banging away on his dad’s Smith Corona typewriter in the den.
—Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024
There’s John in his apartment in New York City, banging away at his piano, doing a little demo.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2023
There’s John in his apartment in New York City, banging away at his piano, doing a little demo.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Nov. 2023
Show business in all its forms was the family norm for Cassidy, who as a kid often wrote songs while banging away on neighbor Rosemary Clooney’s piano as her kids played basketball with their cousin George Clooney.
—Alicia Dennis, Peoplemag, 22 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bang away
Verb
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Flummoxed in Congress, organizing back home The pushback to Trump has been slow in starting as congressional Democrats, outnumbered in both chambers, continue to struggle to devise the strongest message and most effective tactics to use against the Republican president.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
16 June 2025
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Just as a time traveler from the 1960s would struggle to navigate modern life without learning how to operate a phone, a talented professional in 2025 who hasn’t learned to work with AI tools is out of step with reality.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Verb
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But the last pieces are always the hardest, and the weird SALT dance has the potential to snarl things even more at the last minute — especially after Speaker Johnson labored to get some of the same pro-SALT members to codify spending cuts.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
13 June 2025
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But build rather than buy has been the Apple ethos ever since Jobs and co-founder Steve Wozniak were laboring in their garage in the mid-1970s.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
11 June 2025
Verb
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These latest additional targets, combined with the rising civilian casualties in Israel, constitute an escalation where both sides are striving to alienate the opposing side’s public from its leadership.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
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For the striving artists, a steady job is not a compromise but a strategic advantage, a powerful catalyst for sustained creativity and personal well-being.—
Kice Akkawi,
Rolling Stone,
16 June 2025
Verb
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In the nearly 20 years since the show's conclusion, the loyal fanbase has pushed for a revival, and Cranston was working behind the scenes to deliver just that.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
13 June 2025
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McCarthy worked with former tour mate Depeche Mode’s Alan Wilder on the side project Recoil, and collaborated with techno producer Terence Fixmer.—
August Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bang away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bang%20away. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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