Thesaurus results for BATTER

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

batter

verb

ˈba-tər

Definition of batter next

as in to lick

to strike repeatedly children battered the piñata until it broke open

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to bomb

to use bombs or artillery against planes battered the city for weeks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Thousands of residents in Anchorage, Alaska, faced widespread devastation and power outages Monday after hurricane-strength winds battered the city on Sunday. —

John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025 Related Articles Already battered, Mayotte hunkers down for cyclone #2 Why is California’s wind blowing so hard in January? —

Sharmeen Morrison, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2025 The boat’s nine-man crew struggled for hours as the storm battered the yacht, throwing it off its position near Martha’s Vineyard. —

David Wolman, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025 Pacific Palisades is a meeting point between suburbs and wildland hillsides often battered by winds. —

Evan Bush, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for batter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for batter

Verb

Buffy loves to groom—in other words, lick—my hair, probably as an act of dominance, according to my vet.

— Elizabeth Denton, Allure, 28 Jan. 2025
Having another week off to lick wounds is pretty nice, too.

— Tom Layberger, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025