as in thrashing
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1
as in smacking
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 pounding
to strike repeatedly
a boxer bludgeoning his opponent
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bludgeoning
Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
This game was expected to be a taut preview of the gold-medal game but has turned into a bludgeoning.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
To start the bludgeoning, Aledo quickly established the run game in its opening drive with runs of 30 and 44 yards — that set up a 9 yard rushing TD from quarterback Lincoln Tubbs.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Dec. 2025
Bates announced on Wednesday that Lively was sentenced after he was found guilty of first-degree murder for the fatal bludgeoning and stabbing of 68-year-old John Hall III in Northwest Baltimore City.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Now, the foreign visitors are mostly gone, a lack of jet fuel bludgeoning the critical tourism sector.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
The wicketkeeper/batter struggled badly through the tournament and looked shorn of confidence even while bludgeoning his way to an unconvincing 25 off 17 balls at the Wankhede Stadium.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
As the man turns to leave, all of the gates shut, and a bull comes roaring toward the center, bludgeoning the man to death.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026
Between the late evening hours Friday night and early morning Saturday, two teenagers and their 21-year-old friend allegedly conspired and carried out a brutal bludgeoning murder in Fruita.
—The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Denver Post, 25 Nov. 2025
Dennis, 53, was convicted of bludgeoning his ex-girlfriend Timwanika Lumpkins and UM linebacker Marlin Barnes to death with a shotgun in 1996.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 21 Nov. 2025
The statement rattles Abbott enough to let his guard down, which is how Nile gets to be on top of him, bludgeoning his head with the back of Abbott’s own gun after strangling him.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Most historians believe Gunness would first poison her suitors, then finish them with an ax or by bludgeoning — afterward dismembering the corpses and burying what remained.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
Norma Jane Lumpkin, whose long hair hung past her waist, was four decades into a life sentence for her role in the 1981 bludgeoning death of her husband.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
This game was expected to be a taut preview of the gold-medal game but has turned into a bludgeoning.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
To start the bludgeoning, Aledo quickly established the run game in its opening drive with runs of 30 and 44 yards — that set up a 9 yard rushing TD from quarterback Lincoln Tubbs.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Dec. 2025
Bates announced on Wednesday that Lively was sentenced after he was found guilty of first-degree murder for the fatal bludgeoning and stabbing of 68-year-old John Hall III in Northwest Baltimore City.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Verb
Days ago, the Celtics looked poised to coast into the Eastern Conference semifinals after bludgeoning the 76ers in Game 4 of their first-round series.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Now, the foreign visitors are mostly gone, a lack of jet fuel bludgeoning the critical tourism sector.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
The wicketkeeper/batter struggled badly through the tournament and looked shorn of confidence even while bludgeoning his way to an unconvincing 25 off 17 balls at the Wankhede Stadium.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
As the man turns to leave, all of the gates shut, and a bull comes roaring toward the center, bludgeoning the man to death.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026
Between the late evening hours Friday night and early morning Saturday, two teenagers and their 21-year-old friend allegedly conspired and carried out a brutal bludgeoning murder in Fruita.
—The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Denver Post, 25 Nov. 2025
Dennis, 53, was convicted of bludgeoning his ex-girlfriend Timwanika Lumpkins and UM linebacker Marlin Barnes to death with a shotgun in 1996.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 21 Nov. 2025
The statement rattles Abbott enough to let his guard down, which is how Nile gets to be on top of him, bludgeoning his head with the back of Abbott’s own gun after strangling him.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Most historians believe Gunness would first poison her suitors, then finish them with an ax or by bludgeoning — afterward dismembering the corpses and burying what remained.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeoning
Noun
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Arsenal enters the match as the favorite, but Sporting has been resilient in the Champions League, rebounding from a 3-0 loss to tournament darlings Bodo/Glimt with a 5-0 thrashing in Lisbon.—
Pueng Vongs,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
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His only Champions League goal arrived in January’s 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag, and his only assists in the competition came in similarly comfortable wins over Eintracht Frankfurt and Galatasaray.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Chicago rookie Munetaka Murakami became the first player in major league history to homer in the first game of eight straight series, smacking a solo shot off Emerson Hancock (3-1) in the first.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
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Chicago rookie Munetaka Murakami became the first player in major league history to homer in the first game of eight straight series, smacking a solo shot off Emerson Hancock (3-1) in the first.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Verb
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JWords takes a different tack on Sound Therapy, embracing gentle synth melodies and pads that take the edge off her skittering drums and pounding basslines.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
11 May 2026
-
Apple Bank of America said Apple remains a table-pounding buy.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Wrexham were fourth bottom of the fledgling table after the third of those three losses, a 3-1 hammering by Queens Park Rangers.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
-
That's the part worth hammering, not that Nike is greedy or calculating.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Among the plaintiffs, two protesters faced minor charges that were quickly dropped—each accused of impeding a federal officer for slapping the agent’s phone from their hand—while the other two were charged with no crimes at all.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2026
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That meant a pre-existing zero-tariff trade environment for exporters on both sides of the Atlantic was overridden, slapping new duties onto Scotch whisky and other spirits sent to America from Britain.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
1 May 2026
Verb
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But host Kristen Kish is licking her lips at the prospect of taking the show even further afield in the future.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
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At the film’s start, Anne Hathaway’s Andy Sachs is now an award-winning journalist, licking her wounds from a recent layoff.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
1 May 2026
Noun
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The target of our petty president’s latest bashing is Pope Leo XIV, the first American leader of the Catholic Church, who seems to be a guy with Midwestern common sense.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
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Which seems like the anxiety Chalamet was trying to express with his needless opera bashing.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For any questions, ranging from recommendations for hitting the town to extra amenities needed, the lobby desk was always readily available and seemed genuinely happy to help.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
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Valdez has received a six-game suspension and a fine for an undisclosed amount after hitting Story in the back with a 94-mph fastball with the first pitch of the at-bat, MLB announced Wednesday.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bludgeoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeoning. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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