battering ram

noun

1

: a military siege engine consisting of a large wooden beam with a head of iron used in ancient times to beat down the walls of a besieged place

2

: a heavy metal bar with handles used (as by firefighters) to batter down doors and walls

Examples of battering ram in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Editors’ Picks How to Look Original Political Pressure Ever since the effects of bird flu started showing up in egg prices, the lowly egg has become a political battering ram. —Danielle Kaye, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025

Ram-Man is a warrior known for using his head as a battering ram. —Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2025

He was accused of using a metal barricade as a battering ram and punching two police officers. —Caelyn Pender, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2025

Christopher Alberts: Convicted of all charges related to his actions during the Capitol breach, including carrying a loaded pistol and using a wooden pallet as a battering ram against police officers. —Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for battering ram

• clonazepam
• diazepam
• ideogram
• malayalam
• oscillogram
• roentgenogram
• abraham
• anagram
• cablegram
• cofferdam
• dendrogram
• diagram

Kids Definition

battering ram

noun

1

: an ancient military machine consisting of a large iron-tipped wooden beam used to beat down walls

2

: a heavy metal bar with handles used (as by firefighters) to batter down doors and walls