bashing

American  

[bash-ing] / ˈbæʃ ɪŋ /

noun

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.

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-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

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Other Word Forms

• -basher combining form

Etymology

Origin of bashing

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

Example Sentences

Paramount declined to comment on the remarks by Hegseth, a former Fox News host who has a lot of experience in bashing the mainstream media.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

The Australian actor joked that his upbringing "on farms where we were bashing about in old cars" helped prepare him for the car chasing stunts.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 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

Collier’s investment in Unrivaled has been portrayed at times as a conflict of interest—and yes, bashing one league while you’re building another presents some interesting optics, to say the least.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

He hurried across the gravestone-strewn grass, falling twice, bashing his knee, with Asta darting beside him as a cat, stopping to help, encouraging, watching all around.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman