as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to slap
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
remodelers bludgeoned the wall with a sledgehammer to join the two rooms
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
a boxer bludgeoning his opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bludgeon
Frances Beinecke, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2012
Many California syrahs can be a fruit and alcohol bludgeon to the head, but not this one.
—Jeff Burkhart, The Mercury News, 20 May 2024
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Tran had been bludgeoned to death and was dressed in her daughter’s undergarments, authorities said.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bludgeon
Noun
Pesticides can be valuable tools when used as scalpels, but when they are used as bludgeons, the evolution of resistance often undoes their efficacy.
—Frances Beinecke, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2012
Many California syrahs can be a fruit and alcohol bludgeon to the head, but not this one.
—Jeff Burkhart, The Mercury News, 20 May 2024
Verb
Both women had been bludgeoned and hacked with what appeared to be a hatchet.
—The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Tran had been bludgeoned to death and was dressed in her daughter’s undergarments, authorities said.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bludgeon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeon
Noun
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Designers are treating them as conversation pieces to bring more texture, proportion, and detail into a room—we’re seeing bold silhouettes, statement-making legs, faceted fronts that play with light and shadow, and materials ranging from earthy mango wood to coastal cane.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
4 Apr. 2025
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Elaborate breads are baked into the shapes of carpenter’s tools, ladders, and canes, which symbolize Joseph’s staff, while bread crumbs are scattered to represent sawdust.—
Cindy Salvato,
Saveur,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But that all changed in December, when Trump first threatened to slap heavy tariffs on his northern neighbor.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
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The short answer: President Trump and his insistence on slapping tariffs on key trading partners, including Canada, Mexico and China.—
Russ Wiles,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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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
Noun
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The assailants arrived w/ batons, knives, and at least 1 assault rifle; many masked.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
25 Mar. 2025
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Some of the attackers were masked, while others allegedly carried batons, knives, and at least one assault rifle.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Joshua Hur hit a home run, Trey Ebel had a two-run double and Ethan Bingaman contributed an RBI triple.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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The left-handed hitting Baldwin is listed by fangraphs.com to hit 7th in the Braves starting lineup.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The show follows Richards pounding the pavement in every shot as he is violently hunted.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2025
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That leaves us with Tim, STILL pounding the pills and booze.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Asked about the Trump regime’s use of funding as a cudgel Friday, Hochul brushed it off.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
21 Mar. 2025
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Impeachment must be reserved for cases involving serious misconduct or corruption, not trotted out as a cudgel to threaten federal jurists for doing their jobs.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Jordan Hicks pitched an efficient five-plus innings, Tyler Fitzgerald smacked a two-run homer and scored a run, and the Giants beat the Tigers, 4-3.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2025
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In actuality, everything — unbeknownst to him — was ridiculously staged in a pitch-perfect reality TV parody, as comedy improv actors like David Hornsby and pre-Saturday Night Live Kristen Wiig would put Gould smack dab in the middle of absurd situation after absurd situation.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bludgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeon. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.
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