clash
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to make a loud, harsh noise.
The gears of the old car clashed and grated.
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to come together or collide, especially noisily.
The cymbals clashed.
-
to conflict; disagree.
Their stories of the accident clashed completely.
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(of juxtaposed colors) to be offensive to the eye.
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to engage in a physical conflict or contest, as in a game or a battle (often followed bywith ).
The Yankees clash with the White Sox for the final game of the season.
verb (used with object)
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to strike with a resounding or violent collision.
He clashed his fist against the heavy door.
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to produce (sound) by or as by collision.
The tower bell clashed its mournful note.
noun
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a loud, harsh noise, as of a collision.
The automobiles collided with a terrible clash.
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a collision, especially a noisy one.
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a conflict; opposition, especially of views or interests.
a clash between nations.
- Synonyms:
- dispute, altercation, disagreement
- Antonyms:
- cooperation, agreement
-
a battle, fight, or skirmish.
The clash between the border patrols left three men dead.
verb
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to make or cause to make a loud harsh sound, esp by striking together
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(intr) to be incompatible; conflict
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(intr) to engage together in conflict or contest
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(intr) (of dates or events) to coincide
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(intr) (of colours) to look ugly or inharmonious together
noun
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a loud harsh noise
-
a collision or conflict
-
gossip; tattle
Usage
What are other ways to say clash? A clash is a conflict; this word is also used in reference to opposition, especially of views or interests. How does clash compare to brush and struggle? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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clashsimple
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clashessimple
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have clashedperfect
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has clashedperfect
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am clashingprogressive
-
are clashingprogressive
-
is clashingprogressive
-
have been clashingperfect progressive
-
has been clashingperfect progressive
Past
-
clashedsimple
-
had clashedperfect
-
was clashingprogressive
-
were clashingprogressive
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had been clashingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of clash
Explanation
When two things clash, they run violently into each other, often with an accompanying loud noise. The percussionist in an orchestra has the enviable job of making two cymbals clash together. Kids clash when they run into each other on the playground, but they can also clash through a strong disagreement: "My cousins always clash when it comes to deciding what movie to watch after dinner." Also, your shirt might clash with your pants, if the colors or prints simply don't go together. Clash is imitative — it sounds like its original meaning, "make a loud, sharp sound," and may be related to the words clap and crash.
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:
Since the deadly clash on Friday in Tal, Palestinians say that there have been multiple settler attacks on villages across the West Bank.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Earlier in the week, China's ambassador to Manila told reporters the recent clash at sea would have no effect on the push for a Code of Conduct for the crucial waterway.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Competing visions of liberty sometimes clash in ways that cannot be easily resolved.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
That sort of black-and-white thinking was always going to clash with the shades of gray in Christopher Nolan’s smash-hit adaptation of “The Odyssey.”
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
His voice was hard, edged with the clash of shields and the scream of arrows.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
In addition to the new division, three new army headquarters will be set up in north-east and central Nigeria - areas plagued by Islamist militants, banditry and clashes between farmers and herders.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
The recent clashes with Saudi Arabia, coupled with escalating U.S. military action against Iran, have emboldened the Houthis to step in, analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The meetings in Manila kicked off under a cloud on Tuesday after the latest in a series of clashes between China and host country the Philippines took place in the disputed South China Sea.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
The strike led to significant protests outside the Newark, New Jersey, detention center, and high-profile clashes between protesters and the guards there as well as a frenzy of attention from the national press.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
Nor had there been any clashes with Ras the Exhorter—although in the past week he had been increasingly active.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
She struggled with friendships, clashed with teachers and often tried to avoid coming into school.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
It also had an impact on several former employees who clashed with Neal or Clement, some of whom had filed whistleblower complaints.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Police and demonstrators clashed briefly in Venice on Friday during a protest against the arrival of a mega-yacht owned by the US ambassador to Italy, Texan businessman Tilman Fertitta.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
The Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, which is represented by the Office of the County Counsel, has repeatedly clashed with the office because its lawyers are also recommending the Sheriff’s Department ignore the commission’s subpoenas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Anya and Ivan clashed together again, leaves jumbling around them, as the Varangian picked up the sack and threw it over a shoulder.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
Today, the artworks look tame: Their thick paint, loose brushstrokes and vibrant, often clashing colors no longer shock.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
The relationship between Uefa and Fifa has been tense during the World Cup, with the governing bodies clashing over the Folarin Balogun incident and other issues.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
The proposed Westside affordable housing project known as Venice Dell has seen it all: neighborhood uproar, lawsuits, clashing city directives to alternatively approve and deny.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
After clashing with protesters Saturday, police and military forces managed to temporarily open some roads into La Paz as the city suffered severe shortages of food, medicine and fuel.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
The very mention of your name makes a picture spring to mind, whether it’s a picture of clashing fists or a mighty mountain that can’t be knocked down.
From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
