fender bender

noun

: a minor automobile accident

Examples of fender bender in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For scratches or minor dings from fender benders, owners can replace the exterior body panels themselves. — Eric Bangeman, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026 The vehicles still had relatively few incidents, and most were fender benders, according to a Times review of autonomous vehicle crash data filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 An Ohio woman who dragged a DoorDash driver to his death following a fender bender in a grocery store parking lot was sentenced last week to up to 5½ years in prison. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 What are known as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, like automatic emergency braking, have successfully cut down on the number of minor, low-speed fender benders. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fender bender

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fender bender was circa 1962

Rhymes for fender bender

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Browse Nearby Words

fender beam
fender bender
fender bolt
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fender bender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fender%20bender. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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