clash

1 of 2

verb

clashed; clashing; clashes

intransitive verb

1
: to make a clash
cymbals clashed
2
: to come into conflict
where ignorant armies clash by nightMatthew Arnold
also : to be incompatible
the colors clashed

transitive verb

: to cause to clash
clasher noun

clash

2 of 2

noun

1
: a noisy usually metallic sound of collision
2
a
: a hostile encounter : skirmish
b
: a sharp conflict
a clash of opinions

Examples of clash in a Sentence

Verb Police and protesters clashed yesterday. The sofa and the chair clash. She ended the song by clashing the cymbals. Noun Hundreds were killed in ethnic clashes in the region last month. a clash between rival gangs that resulted in some serious injuries
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
That would have clashed with Putin’s rhetoric of a unified country. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2024 Related article Two rival gangs clashed on New York subway train before shooting that left 1 dead, 5 injured, police say Shortly before 5 p.m., two men, ages 32 and 36, got into a fight on a northbound A train in Brooklyn, according to the New York Police Department. Jeff Winter, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 As the moon and Venus clash, a romantic interest is fleeting at best! USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 In private, the two have clashed in a series of phone calls — the last of which was a month ago — but Mr. Biden has been reluctant to publicly split with Mr. Netanyahu. Peter Baker, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 The settlements were heavily guarded by the military, and residents frequently clashed with their Palestinian neighbors. Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 In the past, Israeli forces raiding the sacred compound have clashed with stone-throwing Palestinians who barricaded themselves inside, at times to protest Israeli access restrictions. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024 The Houthis have clashed with southern factions in recent weeks, and some observers worry the two-year cease-fire may be fraying. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2024 Union leaders are looking to ride a wave of labor activism that has fostered a rare degree of solidarity between organizations that have clashed in the past. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024
Noun
Sinema’s move simplifies the electoral algebra in the race for her seat from a three-way contest with no recent comparison to a more traditional clash between a Democrat and a Republican. Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 5 Mar. 2024 The legal fight over SB4 is one of many clashes between Texas and President Biden over immigration policy. Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2024 Yet somewhere along the way, even a stay-at-home mom’s little charity effort outside a northern Alabama grocery store became mired in another American culture clash. Danielle Paquette, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 The populist wing of the party exemplified by former President Donald Trump has steadily grown, prompting clashes between conservatives and more traditional, moderate Republicans. USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024 The daimyo likely confiscated the vessel’s munitions for use in his ongoing quest to gain control of Japan, which culminated in a clash with Mitsunari and other feudal lords allied with the heir at the October 1600 Battle of Sekigahara. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2024 This boundary can lead to the development of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes when the moist, warm air clashes with the dry, cool air. David Montesino, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Feb. 2024 Where the warm and cold air clash, there will be the risk for severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. Kathryn Prociv, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2024 That would likely accelerate a clash between Israel and a growing number of its foreign partners, including the United States, that are pushing for Palestinian sovereignty after the war ends. Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clash.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1513, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clash was circa 1500

Dictionary Entries Near clash

Cite this Entry

“Clash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clash. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

clash

1 of 2 verb
1
: to make a clash
clashing cymbals
2
a
: to come into conflict
pickets clashed with the police
b
: to not match well
our ideas clashed
some colors clash
clasher noun

clash

2 of 2 noun
1
: a loud sharp sound usually of metal striking metal
the clash of swords
2
: a sharp fight or strong disagreement

More from Merriam-Webster on clash

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