as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of bludgeon
Adam Gale, Fortune Europe, 13 May 2024
Others assaulted Capitol police with pepper spray, bludgeons, and other makeshift weapons.
—Allison Novelo, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 14 Aug. 2024
Several hours later, she was found dead in her own home – bludgeoned and strangled.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bludgeon 
Noun
To understand why, consider that while interest rates may be a government’s main tool for dealing with inflation in modern economies, that tool is a bludgeon, not a scalpel.
—Adam Gale, Fortune Europe, 13 May 2024
Others assaulted Capitol police with pepper spray, bludgeons, and other makeshift weapons.
—Allison Novelo, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
Verb
The Astros began the tailspin of an intrastate rival, bludgeoned a burgeoning Red Sox club and, during the past three days, reaped the benefits of the Rays’ trade deadline selloff.
—Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 14 Aug. 2024
Several hours later, she was found dead in her own home – bludgeoned and strangled.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bludgeon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeon
Noun
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Hard freezes, ice, and snow will damage or break canes, making plants more susceptible to pests and disease.Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2024
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The age this particular persona is supposed to represent remains ambiguous in the scene, but the Jackal uses a cane and maintains a sense of frailty in his body, both of which contribute to another visual iteration of geriatric Redmayne.Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The game was so in control that Jackson headed into the locker room early in the fourth quarter, slapping fives with Ravens fans on his way in.Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
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His comments also mark the latest — and likely not the last — threat to slap tariffs on some of the U.S.’s biggest trade partners.William Gavin, Quartz, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Another sculpture show London licking a disembodied human hand.Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 17 Dec. 2024
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And resist the urge to lick your lips when they’re chapped, Davis says.Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Pelosi has remained a major political force in the Democratic Party even after handing the Democratic baton in the House to Brooklyn Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who recently won a second two-year term as minority leader.Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 13 Dec. 2024
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Police were able to view surveillance footage from the hospital that showed a man wearing a police-style belt that included a firearm, three magazines, a baton, medical kit and pouches for handcuffs and O.C. spray, according to the warrant affidavit.Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Shake Milton, playing because guard Gabe Vincent missed Tuesday’s game because of an oblique injury, hit a pair of threes in 10 minutes, but the Lakers’ second unit without Russell was badly outscored 32-12.Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025
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Japan's fertility rate hit a low of 1.20 births expected per woman's lifetime last year, well below the replacement rate of 2.1.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Consider marinating or pounding it thin for quicker and more tender results when needed.Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024
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And in Yemen, the Houthi rebels, another Iranian ally, have been pounded in air strikes by a U.S.-led coalition in response to their attacks on ships in the Red Sea.Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Some in Trump’s orbit have advocated wielding U.S. military aid to Ukraine as a cudgel against whichever party proves intransigent in the talks: either by threatening to ramp up assistance to Kyiv to put the screws on Russia or to cut it off if Ukraine refuses to make the necessary compromises.Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2024
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In some ways, Biden acted preemptively, not just to spare his son but also to avoid handing Trump yet another political cudgel.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Look for the alcohol content — lower proof whiskeys can be easier for newcomers while higher proof versions can smack you in the face a bit harder.Paul Feinstein, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Dec. 2024
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The old chief attempted to do a special review of Bitcoin miners but got smacked down by a federal court.Brady Dale, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near bludgeon
Cite this Entry
“Bludgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeon. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
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