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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to bludgeon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 cudgel
John Towfighi, CNN, 3 Mar. 2025
Similarly, Tesla could face comparable pressure in the future if Beijing wants to use Musk as a cudgel to influence policy in the Trump administration.
—Linggong Kong, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
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
Tariffs are considered by many economists a political cudgel — sometimes used in a trade war — and not an efficient framework for international trade.
—John Towfighi, CNN, 3 Mar. 2025
Similarly, Tesla could face comparable pressure in the future if Beijing wants to use Musk as a cudgel to influence policy in the Trump administration.
—Linggong Kong, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
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
-
Injured in a fall during infancy, McCombs depended on the support of a cane for the rest of his life.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Alas, Mount Gay doesn’t grow enough cane to use in all its rums, and Single Estate is still limited to a few thousand bottles per year.—
Tony Sachs,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
At 6ft 4in (193cm) with a solid frame, the Norway international has the appearance of a battering-ram centre forward who bullies centre-backs and bludgeons his way to goal.—
Steve Madeley,
The Athletic,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies shot 55 percent and bludgeoned Miami, scoring 72 points in the paint, the most permitted by the Heat this season and the most since allowing 76 points in the paint in a game in 2008.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The assailants arrived w/ batons, knives, and at least 1 assault rifle; many masked.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
25 Mar. 2025
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Thomas wrote a dissenting opinion, to which Alito also attached his name, and assailed the court majority for refusing to hear Alabama's case.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
-
The high-drama scene the mayor will be walking into is hardly his first time being assailed over immigration.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Pulse until carrots are finely chopped and everything is combined.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Mar. 2025
-
She’s since seen many of those who moved to the region leave: Some came to realize that chopping wood and maintaining 100-year-old houses was not for them, while others decided to embrace the freedom of being fully remote and move to another state or country entirely.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
Right now, Trump and Congress could whack Medicaid and give Newsom a solid rationale for cutting way back on healthcare for undocumented Californians.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Alas, the thick-headed goon that Vito sends to whack Frank in the lobby of his lux Manhattan apartment building (a swollen and unrecognizable Cosmo Jarvis as the aptly named Vincent Gigante) fails to follow through with a double-tap, and Frank survives with a scratch to the head.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cudgel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cudgel. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share