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  • bashing
    bashing
    noun
    the act of beating, whipping, or thrashing.
  • -bashing
    -bashing
    combining form
Synonyms

bashing

American  
[bash-ing] / ˈbæʃ ɪŋ /

noun

bashings plural
  1. the act of beating, whipping, or thrashing.

    a series of unsolved bashings and robberies.

  2. a decisive defeat.

    We gave the visiting team a good bashing.

  3. (used in combination)

    1. unprovoked physical assaults against members of a specified group.

      gay-bashing.

    2. verbal abuse, as of a group or a nation.

      feminist-bashing; China-bashing.


-bashing British  

combining form

  1. informal

    1. indicating a malicious attack on members of a particular group

      queer-bashing

      union-bashing

    2. indicating any of various other activities

      Bible-bashing

      spud-bashing

      square-bashing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of bashing

First recorded in 1725–35; bash + -ing 1 ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

McCartney's father Jim infused the house with music, bashing out self-taught tunes on an old piano.

From BBC May 27, 2026

He hasn’t let up on the criticism since, often bashing the state and Newsom on social media.

From MarketWatch May 19, 2026

Jack Osbourne, the youngest child of Ozzy Osbourne, lashes back at Roger Waters’ bashing of the “Prince of Darkness” and his music.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 12, 2026

"We have heard a lot of European bashing in the last few days," Lagarde said at the closing session of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in the Swiss Alps.

From Barron's Jan. 23, 2026

Falling over and finishing last in a running race and bashing my way out of buildings after space stations crashed on them were all well and good.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

The only material thing I really wanted was a new hat, for yester morning's milk and subsequent bashings and bruisings had ruined my old one.

From The Yeoman Adventurer by Gough, George W.

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