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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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
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
The emotional clip finds Justin and King sitting down in a home theater as soundbites and news articles bashing their father throughout the trial are played on a loop.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 29 Dec. 2025
Although the gameplay feels more grounded and horizontal, id Software creates epic moments when the Doom Slayer will be flying through the air aboard a Wintherin or bashing building-sized demons in an Atlan mech.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
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
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
The emotional clip finds Justin and King sitting down in a home theater as soundbites and news articles bashing their father throughout the trial are played on a loop.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 29 Dec. 2025
Although the gameplay feels more grounded and horizontal, id Software creates epic moments when the Doom Slayer will be flying through the air aboard a Wintherin or bashing building-sized demons in an Atlan mech.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bashing
Noun
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Eric Freeny blocked Smith, Bilodeau grabbed the loose ball and threw an outlet to Dailey for a hammering dunk.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Meanwhile, Moscow has kept up its hammering of Ukraine’s energy grid in overnight attacks that killed at least two people, according to Ukrainian officials.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This project is focused on bumping the agency’s operations to include 30 ten-car trains per hour, or more than 300 additional railcars total, alongside other improvements such as a new control system, a new railcar storage yard in Hayward and adding more power substations to improve service.—
Kyle Martin,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
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But Highway 61 remains a destination for travelers bumping the long way around the Americana Music Triangle between New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville.—
Joe Sills,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The xAI-SpaceX merger is still fresh, AI fears have been slamming software stocks, and Moltbook—a social network for personal AI agents—blew up the Internet.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
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Heathcliff acts like a whiny little baby throughout this film, constantly throwing tantrums, running away, and slamming doors.—
Cazzie David,
Vogue,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As finger-licking as the savory food is, the real headliner here is dessert.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The strategy marks a shift toward attacking cartels’ financial systems as law enforcement pressure mounts on traditional drug routes.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Dan Ndoye is capable of playing in a central attacking role and Morgan Gibbs-White has looked handy playing in a more advanced role.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Stevenson played his best game in the Pats’ regular-season finale, a 38-10 thrashing of Miami.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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And, the 56-22 CFP semifinal Peach Bowl thrashing of Oregon began with Ponds’ interception return for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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My ten-year-old granddaughter was marching and banging her little saucepan with a salad spoon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Online posts questioning the city’s account continued into the week, and protesters have kept returning to the Hyatt, banging pots and chanting in subfreezing temperatures.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes the figure tries and fails to stand up, slapping itself with floppy, almost boneless limbs.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Part of the answer seems to be more brands willing to make early commitments that actually matter (and not just slapping logos on things) but investing in the media infrastructure that lets fans watch and follow women’s sports in the first place.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bashing. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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