flash-bang

noun

A hand grenade that produces a very bright flash and a loud explosion, but no shrapnel and minimal explosive force, to disorient the target.

Similar
flash grenadestun grenadeconcussion grenade
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Meanings

nounflash-bang (plural flash-bangs)

plural flash-bangs · alternative flash bang · alternative flashbang

  1. A hand grenade that produces a very bright flash and a loud explosion, but no shrapnel and minimal explosive force, to disorient the target.

    As evening begins here in Washington, police are firing tear gas, deploying flash-bangs to disperse peaceful protests near the White House.

    2020 June 1, 0:16–0:24 from the start, in Death of George Floyd drives protests across the U.S. — and beyond, Judy Woodruff (actor), PBS NewsHour
    1 more example

    Through the first 15 minutes on the scene, Sgt. Daniel Coronado repeatedly called for more firepower and protective equipment. He wanted flash-bangs that could stun a gunman.

    2022 July 22, Trevor Hughes, Daphne Duret, Dennis Wagner, “Uvalde shooting: Bodycam footage reveals police caught in confusion […]”, in USA Today, McLean, Va., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3A, column 1
  2. A sudden bright flash of light.
verbflash-bang (third-person singular simple present flash-bangs, present participle flash-banging, simple past and past participle flash-banged)

present singular third person flash-bangs · participle present flash-banging · participle past flash-banged · past flash-banged · alternative flash bang · alternative flashbang

  1. alternativeAlternative form of flashbang.

    Synonyms: flash grenade, stun grenade, concussion grenade

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

From flash + bang. From the bright flash of light and loud bang (a concussive shockwave of sound) generated by this device.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 閃光彈 /闪光弹, 震撼彈 /震撼弹
  • 閃光彈 /闪光弹 (shǎnguāngdàn)a type of grenade
  • 震撼彈 /震撼弹 (zhènhàndàn)a type of grenade
Czech zábleskový granát
  • zábleskový granáta type of grenade
Dutch aanvalshandgranaat, flitsgranaat
  • aanvalshandgranaata type of grenade
  • flitsgranaata type of grenade
Finnish tainnutuskranaatti, valokranaatti
  • tainnutuskranaattia type of grenade
  • valokranaattia type of grenade
French grenade assourdissante
  • grenade assourdissantea type of grenade
German Blendgranate
  • Blendgranatea type of grenade
Indonesian granat kejut, flashbang
  • granat kejuta type of grenade
  • flashbanga type of grenade
Italian flashbang, stun grenade
  • flashbanga type of grenade
  • stun grenadea type of grenade
Japanese 閃光彈
  • 閃光彈 (senkōdan)a type of grenade
Korean 섬광탄
  • 섬광탄 (seomgwangtan)a type of grenade
Polish granat błyskowo-hukowy
  • granat błyskowo-hukowya type of grenade
Romanian grenadă paralizantă, grenadă luminoasă
  • grenadă paralizantăa type of grenade
  • grenadă luminoasăa type of grenade
Russian светозвукова́я грана́та, светошумова́я грана́та
  • светозвукова́я грана́та (svetozvukovája granáta)a type of grenade
  • светошумова́я грана́та (svetošumovája granáta)a type of grenade
Spanish granada aturdidora
  • granada aturdidoraa type of grenade
Swedish distraktionsgranat, chockgranat
  • distraktionsgranata type of grenade
  • chockgranata type of grenade
Ukrainian світлошумова́ грана́та, світлозвукова́ грана́та
  • світлошумова́ грана́та (svitlošumová hranáta)a type of grenade
  • світлозвукова́ грана́та (svitlozvuková hranáta)a type of grenade
Cite this entry
APA

flash-bang. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flash-bang

MLA

“flash-bang.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flash-bang. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “flash-bang,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flash-bang.

Source: flash-bang on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.