as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
a farmer armed with a cudgel drove us off his land
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as in to bludgeon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of cudgel
Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024
Waugh’s complaint has been used as a cudgel to attack Uribe’s character during the stretch run of her re-election campaign — and the attacks have continued even after the ethics commission’s decision.
—Stephen Hudak, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Nov. 2024
Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Before long, fairs had such attractions as cudgelling bouts, bearbaiting, and something called gouging.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for cudgel 
Noun
Access to those dollars has become more of a political cudgel recently, as lawmakers in Washington have ratcheted up their scrutiny of universities.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024
Waugh’s complaint has been used as a cudgel to attack Uribe’s character during the stretch run of her re-election campaign — and the attacks have continued even after the ethics commission’s decision.
—Stephen Hudak, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
Hitler exploited his 37% to gridlock legislative processes, to cudgel or crush the political opposition, and ultimately to undermine the country’s democratic structures.
—Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Before long, fairs had such attractions as cudgelling bouts, bearbaiting, and something called gouging.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for cudgel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cudgel
Noun
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Paul Pelosi walked slowly to his seat with the help of a purple cane, more than two years after being bludgeoned with a hammer by an intruder looking for his wife, Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker.Heather Knight, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
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Simulation exercises, like walking with a blindfold while using a cane, help people understand the life of someone who has lost their sight.Caitlin Granfield, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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By the end, Arsenal had blustered and bludgeoned their way to 23 shots, but only three of them were on target.George Caulkin, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
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The clown, a kind of psychopathic silent movie character who never utters a peep, bludgeons his victims in vicious murder sequences that operate as gory punchlines each time out.Eric Kohn, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In videos verified by CNN, dozens of protesters are seen confronting a wall of riot police outside the Pucheng Vocational Technical School, with some hurling batons and other objects towards the officers.Shawn Deng, CNN, 11 Jan. 2025
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Zhang’s baton matched the second act’s edge-of-your-seat melodrama.Joshua Barone, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Kerry Carpenter clouted a key home run for the Detroit Tigers and Cole Ragans has pitched two terrific games for the Kansas City Royals among younger players stepping up.Chuck Murr, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
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Not since the former Yankee slugger clouted three home runs in a World Series game against the Dodgers in 1977 has Jackson done more with a pitch in the strike zone.Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 22 June 2024
Verb
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City officials showed up at all hours, assailing Fuller’s properties 185 times, even raiding his 2017 office Christmas party.Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
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If former Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine hadn’t assailed his former teammates and organization when the Montreal Canadiens were in Columbus on Dec. 23, the fact that the veteran Severson was made a healthy scratch would have been a bigger story.Aaron Portzline, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Packages of cucumbers—that had been either chopped, sliced, or speared—had initially been recalled last month amid fears they may be contaminated with the potentially deadly food poising bug.John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
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The menu also includes fish and chicken sandwiches, wings, milkshakes, chopped salads and more.Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Reality has a way of smacking you hard in the face.Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2025
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What hits on TikTok is a legible, irresistible hook — or, in other words, the kind of content that smacks you in the face with its obviousness.Rebecca Jennings, Vox, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The funny thing when that CEO got whacked was watching CEOs have to be uncomfortable.Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 14 Jan. 2025
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Once Sparano got whacked during the 2011 season, Ross gave former Titans coach Jeff Fisher the full-court press.Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near cudgel
Cite this Entry
“Cudgel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cudgel. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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