Clash vs. Crash: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 26, 2023
"Clash" refers to a conflict or disagreement, while "Crash" implies a collision or a sudden, loud noise.
Key Differences
Clash typically signifies a conflict or disagreement between people, groups, or ideas. It is often used in contexts involving arguments, debates, or contrasting opinions. Crash, on the other hand, primarily refers to a sudden, often violent, collision or impact. This term is commonly associated with accidents, such as vehicles colliding or objects falling.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
In a metaphorical sense, clash can also describe the incompatibility of colors, sounds, or other elements, suggesting a lack of harmony or a jarring effect. Crash in a non-literal sense can refer to a sudden decline or failure, such as a stock market crash or a computer system crash.
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Dec 26, 2023
The word clash can be used in various contexts, from fashion (where it might describe colors that don't go well together) to social interactions (where it can denote differing views leading to conflict). Crash, apart from its physical meaning, can also describe someone attending a party or event uninvited or suddenly entering a situation.
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Dec 26, 2023
Clash often carries a connotation of ongoing conflict or sustained disagreement, suggesting a situation that may not be quickly resolved. Crash, in contrast, usually denotes a swift, often abrupt event, emphasizing the suddenness and sometimes the severity of the incident.
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Dec 26, 2023
In terms of sound, clash can describe a loud, discordant noise, particularly from metallic objects striking each other. Crash also denotes a loud sound, but it's typically associated with the noise made when something breaks, collapses, or comes into forceful contact with another object.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Context Usage
Arguments, debates, contrasts
Accidents, falls, system failures
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Dec 26, 2023
Duration Implication
Ongoing, potentially unresolved
Swift, abrupt occurrence
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Dec 26, 2023
Associated Sounds
Discordant, especially metallic
Breaking, collapsing noise
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Dec 26, 2023
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Clash and Crash Definitions
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Clash
To collide with a loud, harsh, usually metallic noise
Cymbals clashing.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To break violently or noisily; smash
The dishes crashed to pieces on the floor.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To undergo sudden damage or destruction on impact
The car crashed into a tree.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
To be in opposition or disagreement
An eyewitness account that clashed with published reports.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To make a sudden loud noise
The cymbals crash at the end of each measure.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
To create an unpleasant visual impression when placed together
Colors that clash.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To move noisily or so as to cause damage
Went crashing through the woods.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
A loud, harsh noise, such as that made by two metal objects in collision.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
(Slang) To undergo a period of unpleasant feeling or depression as an aftereffect of drug-taking.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
A disagreement or state of opposition
A clash of political ideologies.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
An incongruity or unpleasant juxtaposition of different colors or elements.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
(onomatopoeia) A loud sound, like the crashing together of metal objects.
I heard a clash from the kitchen, and rushed in to find the cat had knocked over some pots and pans.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
(Informal) To join or enter (a party, for example) without invitation.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
A sudden loud noise, as of an object breaking
She looked up when she heard the crash outside.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
Opposition; contradiction; such as between differing or contending interests, views, purposes etc.
Clash of beliefs
Culture clash
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
A combination of garments that do not look good together, especially because of conflicting colours.
She was wearing a horrible clash of red and orange.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
(hurling) An instance of restarting the game after a "dead ball", where it is dropped between two opposing players, who can fight for possession.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
A sudden failure of a hard drive caused by damaging contact between the head and the storage surface, often resulting in the loss of data on the drive.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
A sudden failure of a program or operating system, usually without serious consequences.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
To come into violent conflict.
Fans from opposing teams clashed on the streets after the game.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
A coarse, light, unevenly woven fabric of cotton or linen, used for towels and curtains.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
(intransitive) To argue angrily.
My parents often clashed about minor things, such as the cleaning or shopping rota.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Starched reinforced fabric used to strengthen a book binding or the spine of a bound book.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Of or characterized by an intensive effort to produce or accomplish
A crash course on income-tax preparation.
A crash diet.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
To fail to look good together; to contrast unattractively; to fail to harmonize.
You can't wear that shirt! It clashes with your trousers.
The hotel room was ugly, and the wallpaper clashed with the carpet.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
A sudden, intense, loud sound, as made for example by cymbals.
The piece ended in a crescendo, building up to a crash of cymbals.
After the lightning came the crash of thunder.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
To coincide, to happen at the same time, thereby rendering it impossible to attend all.
I can't come to your wedding because it clashes with a friend's funeral.
I wanted to take German, but it clashed with art on the timetable.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
An automobile, airplane, or other vehicle accident.
She broke two bones in her body in a car crash.
Nobody survived the plane crash.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
(computing) A malfunction of computer software or hardware which causes it to shut down or become partially or totally inoperable.
My computer had a crash so I had to reboot it.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
To make a noise by striking against something; to dash noisily together.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
(finance) A sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures).
The stock market crash
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
To meet in opposition; to act in a contrary direction; to come onto collision; to interfere.
However some of his interests might clash with those of the chief adjacent colony.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
A loud noise resulting from collision; a noisy collision of bodies; a collision.
The roll of cannon and clash of arms.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
(ecology) A sudden decline in any living form's population levels, often leading to extinction.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
Opposition; contradiction; as between differing or contending interests, views, purposes, etc.
Clashes between popes and kings.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
A loud resonant repeating noise;
He could hear the clang of distant bells
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
(intransitive) To collide with something destructively, fall or come down violently.
When the car crashed into a house, the driver was heavily injured.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
A state of conflict between colors;
Her dress was a disturbing clash of colors
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
(transitive) To severely damage or destroy something by causing it to collide with something else.
I'm sorry for crashing the bike into a wall. I'll pay for repairs.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To accelerate a project or a task or its schedule by devoting more resources to it.
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Oct 19, 2023
Clash
Crash together with violent impact;
The cars collided
Two meteors clashed
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To make or experience informal temporary living arrangements, especially overnight.
Hey dude, can I crash at your pad?
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To lie down for a long rest, sleep or nap, as from tiredness or exhaustion.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To terminate extraordinarily.
If the system crashes again, we'll have it fixed in the computer shop.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To cause to terminate extraordinarily.
Double-clicking this icon crashes the desktop.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
(intransitive) To experience a period of depression and/or lethargy after a period of euphoria, as after the euphoric effect of a psychotropic drug has dissipated.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To take a sudden and severe turn for the worse; to rapidly deteriorate.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To break in pieces violently; to dash together with noise and violence.
He shakt his head, and crasht his teeth for ire.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To make a loud, clattering sound, as of many things falling and breaking at once; to break in pieces with a harsh noise.
Roofs were blazing and walls crashing in every part of the city.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
To break with violence and noise; as, the chimney in falling crashed through the roof.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
A loud, sudden, confused sound, as of many things falling and breaking at once.
The wreck of matter and the crash of worlds.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Ruin; failure; sudden breaking down, as of a business house or a commercial enterprise.
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
A loud resonant repeating noise;
He could hear the clang of distant bells
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
A serious accident (usually involving one or more vehicles);
They are still investigating the crash of the TWA plane
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
A sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
The act of colliding with something;
His crash through the window
The fullback's smash into the defensive line
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
(computer science) an event that causes a computer system to become inoperative;
The crash occurred during a thunderstorm and the system has been down ever since
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Fall or come down violently;
The branch crashed down on my car
The plane crashed in the sea
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Move with, or as if with, a crashing noise;
The car crashed through the glass door
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Undergo damage or destruction on impact;
The plane crashed into the ocean
The car crashed into the lamp post
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Occupy, usually uninvited;
My son's friends crashed our house last weekend
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Cause to crash;
The terrorists crashed the car into the gate of the palace
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Hurl or thrust violently;
He dashed the plate against the wall
Waves were dashing against the rock
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Undergo a sudden and severe downturn;
The economy crashed
Will the stock market crash again?
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Stop operating;
My computer crashed last night
The system goes down at least once a week
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Oct 19, 2023
Crash
Sleep in a convenient place;
You can crash here, though it's not very comfortable
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Oct 19, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can "clash" be used for sounds?
Yes, it describes discordant or conflicting sounds.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
What is a "crash" in computing?
It's a sudden failure or malfunction of a computer system.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
Can "crash" be a noun and a verb?
Yes, it can be both (e.g., a crash, to crash).
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
Can "crash" describe a drop in prices?
Yes, in contexts like a housing market crash.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
Can "crash" refer to sleep?
Informally, yes. Like "crash at a friend's place."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
Does "crash" always imply physical collision?
No, it can also refer to sudden failures or loud noises.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
Can colors "clash"?
Yes, when they are incompatible or visually unharmonious.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
What does "clash" mean?
"Clash" refers to a conflict, disagreement, or incompatibility.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
Is "crash" used in financial contexts?
Yes, like a stock market crash meaning a sudden decline.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
Can "clash" describe a physical fight?
It can, especially in contexts of sports or battles.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
What does "crash a party" mean?
It means attending an event without an invitation.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
Can "crash" mean to stay temporarily?
Yes, like "crashing at someone's place."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
Are "clash" and "crash" interchangeable?
No, they have different meanings and contexts.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
Does "clash" always involve people?
Not always, it can involve ideas, colors, etc.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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