# bang on about

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bang-on-about
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to talk about something for a long time in a way that is boring or annoying for others.

For teachers: to speak at length and repetitively about a specific topic, typically causing irritation to the listener; carries a strong informal and pejorative register.

## Examples

- He is always banging on about his new car.
- I wish she would stop banging on about her holiday photos because we have work to finish.
- The politician continued to bang on about tax reform long after the audience had lost interest in the technical details of the proposal.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He bangs on his job all day." but "He bangs on about his job all day." — the preposition 'about' is necessary to connect the action to the topic being discussed.

## Usage notes

- highly informal; usually followed by the preposition 'about' and a noun or gerund.
- Teaching tip: this is a more colorful, British-inflected alternative to 'keep talking about'; use it to teach students how to express mild social frustration.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.