fender-bender
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A minor accident involving at least one motor vehicle.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
My insurance went up even though all my accidents were just fender-benders.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “fender-bender” mean?
A minor accident involving at least one motor vehicle.
Is “fender-bender” formal or informal?
fender-bender is generally slang.