1 B1 informal
To move around in a place while making loud noises by hitting or knocking into things.
"I could hear him banging about in the kitchen at six in the morning."
inseparable
bang about
B1 informal inseparable intransitive
To move around noisily, making loud banging or crashing sounds.
In plain English
To move around in a place and make a lot of loud, crashing noise while doing it.
What does "bang about" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 informal
To move clumsily and carelessly, bumping into or knocking objects.
"She banged about the cramped office, trying to find her keys in the dark."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To physically hit things while moving about — largely transparent.
Actually means
To move around in a place and make a lot of loud, crashing noise while doing it.
Usage tip
Primarily British English. Often implies irritation from the speaker's perspective — someone is making annoying noise. Commonly used in domestic contexts.
Words that pair with "bang about"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
kitchen upstairs house flat room night
How to conjugate "bang about"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bang about
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bangs about
he/she/it
Past simple
banged about
yesterday
Past participle
banged about
have + pp
-ing form
banging about
continuous
Hear "bang about" in the wild
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