battered

adjective

bat·​tered ˈba-tərd 

1

: damaged or worn down by hard use

a battered old hat

a battered truck

2

: injured by repeated blows

the victim's battered body

a boxer's battered face

3

: subjected to repeated physical abuse

providing help for battered wives/children

… the store turned into an impromptu women's crisis center, where battered women and mothers trying to rescue their daughters from abusive dads gravitated.

—Donna Minkowitz

Examples of battered in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Landman review: Man, does this new Taylor Sheridan drama hate women The battered Tommy completes his no good, very bad day by crumpling onto the couch, where he is promptly met by worried wife Angela (Ali Larter), who questions his whereabouts. —Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 12 Jan. 2025

Some of the structures that survived — shopping centers, office buildings, a church, a school building, apartments, an occasional house — rose out of an otherwise featureless, battered and gray landscape. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025

The Lions previously compromised defense simply came after Sam Darnold and exposed him behind a battered offensive line. —Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 10 Jan. 2025

Andre Zachery sued Penny in December, alleging that Penny negligently assaulted, battered and seriously injured Neely, causing his death. —Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing battered

• battered child syndrome
• battered woman syndrome