Synonyms of batter

batter

verb

ˈba-tər 

1

as in to lick

to strike repeatedly

children battered the piñata until it broke open

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lick
• pound
• lash
• bat
• whip
• hide
• beat
• hit
• pelt
• punch
• assault
• knock
• attack
• do
• slap
• spank
• thump
• curry
• smash
• box
• paddle
• slam
• maul
• chop
• slate
• punch out
• pummel
• belt
• club
• lather
• hammer
• tan
• storm
• lace
• buffet
• raid
• smack
• work over
• wallop
• birch
• thrash
• rough (up)
• bludgeon
• switch
• whale
• baste
• bash
• whop
• whack
• pommel
• drub
• thresh
• swipe
• bung up
• beat up on
• whup
• slog
• wound
• lambast
• fib
• whap
• crack
• belabor
• flog
• lambaste
• mess (up)
• cane
• paste
• sock
• descend (on or upon)
• leather
• strap
• cudgel
• jump (on)
• swat
• tromp
• rush
• lay on
• cuff
• thwack
• clout
• pounce (on or upon)
• beset
• clobber
• assail
• wham
• cowhide
• whomp
• lam
• bust
• blackjack
• horsewhip
• scourge
• flagellate
• rawhide
• gore
• lacerate
• mutilate
• pistol-whip
• maim
• fustigate
• mangle

2

as in to bomb

to use bombs or artillery against

planes battered the city for weeks

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bomb
• shell
• attack
• blitz
• bombard
• cannonade
• blitzkrieg
• pound
• assault
• rake
• hit
• ravage
• strafe
• enfilade
• strike
• assail
• devastate

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb batter contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of batter are cripple, maim, mangle, and mutilate. While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate.

an old ship battered by fierce storms

When is cripple a more appropriate choice than batter?

The synonyms cripple and batter are sometimes interchangeable, but cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg.

crippled for life in an accident

When can maim be used instead of batter?

While in some cases nearly identical to batter, maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence.

maimed by a shark

When is it sensible to use mangle instead of batter?

In some situations, the words mangle and batter are roughly equivalent. However, mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds.

a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

In what contexts can mutilate take the place of batter?

Although the words mutilate and batter have much in common, mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function.

a tree mutilated by inept pruning

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of batter

That Arsenal recently battered the reigning – waning – Premier League champions with a scathing 5-1 scoreline is a far more convincing statistic to support the above reasoning. —Julia Ranney, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025

But while Munich had been hoping to hear greater detail on the Trump administrations publicly morphing peace plan for Ukraine, they were battered with a bizarre, post-truth litany of culture-war complaints and a bid to sow serious doubt about electoral integrity across Europe. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 14 Feb. 2025

Israel battered Iran's proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. —Greg Myre, NPR, 12 Feb. 2025

The facts are simple: Hurricanes will batter coastal regions, wildfires will blaze through drought-prone areas, and floods will inundate river valleys. —Eli Lehrer, Boston Herald, 12 Feb. 2025