# bang

/ˈbæŋ/ (US) · /bˈæŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bang
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a loud noise

noun · CEFR A2

a sudden, loud noise like a gun firing or a door slamming.

For teachers: a sudden percussive sound, typically resulting from an impact or explosion.

- The door closed with a loud bang that woke up the baby.
- The silence of the night was shattered by a sudden bang from the engine room, signaling a mechanical failure.

### 2. a thrill

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a feeling of excitement or pleasure.

For teachers: a sudden feeling of excitement, pleasure, or a thrill; often used in the phrase 'get a bang out of'.

- He really gets a bang out of riding his motorcycle on the open road.
- Despite her years of experience, she still gets a bang out of seeing her name in the opening credits of a major film.

### 3. sexual intercourse

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Vulgar

a very informal and sometimes rude word for having sex.

For teachers: an act of sexual intercourse; vulgar in register and typically avoided in polite or professional contexts.

- The movie was full of cheap jokes about having a quick bang.
- The script was criticized for its reliance on crude humor and casual references to a bang, which many felt detracted from the plot.

### 4. to hit or make noise

verb · CEFR A2

to hit something hard or make a loud noise by hitting something.

For teachers: to strike an object forcefully, often producing a loud, resonant sound.

- Stop banging on the table with your spoon.
- The protesters began to bang their drums in unison, creating a rhythmic wall of sound that echoed through the square.

### 5. to be excellent

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang

to be very good or impressive, especially music.

For teachers: to be of exceptionally high quality or energy; frequently used to describe music with a strong, appealing beat.

- This new track really bangs; turn the volume up.
- The DJ played a series of tracks that absolutely banged, keeping the energy on the dance floor at a peak for hours.

### 6. exactly or directly

adverb · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

exactly, directly, or right in a certain place.

For teachers: precisely or directly; used to emphasize the exactness of a position or time.

- The arrow landed bang in the middle of the target.
- The delivery arrived bang on time, just as the meeting was about to commence.

### 7. sudden event

interjection · CEFR B1

a word used to describe a sudden noise or a sudden change.

For teachers: used to represent a sudden loud noise or to indicate that something happened very quickly and unexpectedly.

- I was walking along and then, bang, the lights went out.
- He was leading the race until the final corner and then, bang, his tire blew out and he was finished.

## Examples

- The door closed with a loud bang.
- We were startled by a sudden bang coming from the kitchen where a shelf had collapsed.
- The engine emitted a series of rhythmic bangs before finally stalling in the middle of the intersection, leaving the driver stranded in heavy traffic.

---

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.