pummel

verb

pum·​mel ˈpə-məl 

pummeled also pummelled; pummeling also pummelling ˈpə-mə-liŋ 

ˈpəm-liŋ

: pound, beat

Synonyms

• bash
• baste
• bat
• batter
• beat
• belabor
• belt
• birch
• bludgeon
• buffet
• bung up
• club
• curry
• do
• drub
• fib [British]
• flog
• hammer
• hide
• lace
• lambaste
• lambast
• lash
• lather
• lick
• maul
• mess (up)
• paddle
• pelt
• pommel
• pound
• punch out
• rough (up)
• slate
• slog
• switch
• tan
• thrash
• thresh
• thump
• tromp
• wallop
• whale
• whip
• whop
• whap
• whup
• work over

Examples of pummel in a Sentence

pummeled the mugger with her fists until help arrived

Recent Examples on the Web

In April 2024, Russia destroyed one of Ukraine's largest power plants, and in December 2024, Russia pummeled Ukraine's power grid. —Rachel Wolf, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2025

Chris Kirkland For the first two billion years of its life, Earth was regularly pummeled by huge space rocks, including an absolutely mammoth collision with a Mars-sized body that gave birth to the Moon about 4.5 billion years ago. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 6 Mar. 2025

Who most successfully pummeled Trump in a presidential debate? —Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2025

Snow and strong winds will pummel parts of the Plains while severe thunderstorms rage farther south. —Mary Gilbert, CNN, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of pommel

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pummel

• hummel

Kids Definition

pummel

verb

pum·​mel ˈpəm-əl 

pummeled or pummelled; pummeling or pummelling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: pound entry 3 sense 2a, beat

knead and pummel the dough

2

: to defeat decisively

pummeled the competition