batter

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of batter Hurricanes Helene and Milton battered Tampa Bay and caused about $5 billion in damage across Hillsborough and Pinellas counties alone, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Yacob Reyes, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025 Chicken nuggets are typically made from ground chicken meat, often a blend of breast, thigh, and skin, combined with seasoning and binding agents before being battered and fried. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025 That’s the world in which the GOP can’t get top-tier recruits to try to flip seats — or sees those recruits battered or defeated in primaries. Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 14 Mar. 2025 This corn dog is an all-beef pup that has been wrapped in a white cheese before being battered and fried. Zahir Janmohamed, Bon Appétit, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for batter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for batter
Verb
  • Marchand has crossed lines by licking players, or repeatedly punching a hockey pacifist like Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin in a final series.
    Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthis are licking their chops.
    Jeffrey Gedmin, National Review, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Israel bombed Gaza in what was one of the deadliest single days since the war began.
    Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
  • On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
    Mary LaPorte, Hartford Courant, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Schumer has taken a public pounding from his party's base, not to mention House Democrats, since voting to keep the government open last week.
    Stephen Neukam, Axios, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Southern California was being pounded by a major storm Thursday morning, bringing evacuation warnings and fears of mudslides.
    Shelby Grad, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Liquid eggs are pasteurized for safety and are often used as a lower-fat, high-protein alternative to shell eggs.
    Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Kyiv has denied the claim and said Russian forces shelled the station.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • However, Cabello lashed out at U.S. authorities, accusing them of unjustly detaining and deporting Venezuelans under false claims of gang affiliations.
    Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025
  • In early March, tropical storm Alfred battered Australia’s heavily populated east coast, lashing the region with damaging winds and heavy rain for several days as hundreds of thousands of homes in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales lost power.
    Edward Szekeres and Helen Regan, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The lead-off shot by Tatis, batting first for the second time in two games this season and on Friday against a right-hander, ignited a run of three straight innings in which the Padres scored once.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers prepares to bat during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan.
    Alex Sherman, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Meister can often immediately identify on an MRI that a pitcher throws a sweeper—a hard slider that the pitcher whips to get about fifteen inches of horizontal movement from the ball.
    Lindsey Adler, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2025
  • The moment, which made the episode’s final cut, occurs when Drummond whips Mark S. around and pushes him into a wall.
    Devon Ivie, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The ancient springhead, natural waterpark, and retro roadside attraction has more than a few secrets hidden in its eelgrass.
    Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Read Next Texas Man killed daughter’s boyfriend and hid body, Texas officials say.
    Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Batter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/batter. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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