Clash
/klæʃ/noun
A loud, harsh collision or conflict between people, ideas, or things.
Did you know?Unlike many English words with ancient roots, clash is a sound-symbolic word that likely grew straight out of human noise-making, which is why it feels so immediate and physical.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
clashen
“to make a loud clashing sound; to strike together noisily”
16th Century
English
clash
“a loud noise made by collision”
Modern English
English
clash
“a noisy collision or a conflict between opposing forces or ideas”
Modern English
English
clashing
“coming into conflict or opposition”