1
as in to abuse
to abuse physically
demonstrators who claimed that they had been mauled by the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
the irate store owner was mauling the shoplifter when the police showed up
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in hammer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of maul
Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Read Next Texas 91-year-old fatally mauled by her son’s dogs.
—Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2025
Michael Loftus, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2023
Rest the maul on the wood, then lift it all the way up—your bottom arm should be straight and your top arm slightly bent.
—Michael Stillwell, Popular Mechanics, 27 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for maul
Verb
Paul then mauled Schulz, who was saved by AJ Styles.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Read Next Texas 91-year-old fatally mauled by her son’s dogs.
—Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
Investigators say nothing was taken and both the ax and the maul belonged to the Krausenecks.
—Michael Loftus, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2023
Rest the maul on the wood, then lift it all the way up—your bottom arm should be straight and your top arm slightly bent.
—Michael Stillwell, Popular Mechanics, 27 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for maul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maul
Verb
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Authorities subsequently found that the boy and Ruby's 10-year-old daughter had been seriously abused.—
Liam Quinn,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Kevin Franke, the father of the children abused by Hildebrandt and his ex-wife, has advocated for more oversight of life coaches since the two women were sent to prison.—
Jessica Schreifels,
ProPublica,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The race is being widely viewed as a must-win for Democrats who at the national level are still licking their 2024 election wounds, as well as a potential referendum on Trump and Musk.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2025
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Cora appears to enjoy the routine and happily lets the cat lick at the tufts of blonde hair on her head.—
Kelli Bender,
People.com,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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If the Administration were not using this kind of fake (to borrow a term) legalism as an excuse to take a hammer to higher education, the letter might be funny.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
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The indiscriminate slashing has given impotent Democrats a hammer to use against the administration.—
Nolan Finley,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Aged 30, Makelele had been converted from an attacking midfielder to a deep-lying, anchoring midfielder that would protect his back line and hoover up any defensive actions that came anywhere near his orbit.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
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And the reality remains: The only way to seriously attack the nation’s $37 trillion debt is to craft more financially sustainable safety net and entitlement programs.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 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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Yet simply revoking these programs is another example of Trump reacting to complicated issues with a sledgehammer approach.—
ORLANDO SENTINEL AND MIAMI HERALD EDITORIAL BOARDS,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Mar. 2025
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Its method of doing so is tantamount to hitting a fly with a sledgehammer.—
Ivan Pereira,
ABC News,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Oklahoma manhandled its two opponents in the first two rounds, dispatching No. 14 seed Florida Gulf Coast, 81-58, and not having much more trouble with No. 6 seed Iowa, 96-62.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2025
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He was accused of manhandling Mitts during a heated debate about Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city, by blocking her from entering the City Council chambers.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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However, Cabello lashed out at U.S. authorities, accusing them of unjustly detaining and deporting Venezuelans under false claims of gang affiliations.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2025
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In early March, tropical storm Alfred battered Australia’s heavily populated east coast, lashing the region with damaging winds and heavy rain for several days as hundreds of thousands of homes in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales lost power.—
Edward Szekeres and Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maul. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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