as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
pummeled the mugger with her fists until help arrived
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pummel
On the evening of March 13, a snowstorm hit the area dumping up to two feet of snow and pummeling the nest with strong winds.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2025
One of the men pummeled the victim repeatedly with his bike, leaving him with cuts on his head and face.
—Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 28 Mar. 2025
Waves of discontent pummeled political leaders who were powerless to quell them.
—Moisés Naím, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2025
But escalating trade tensions with Canada, Mexico and China have pummeled Wall Street.
—Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pummel
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2025
One of the men pummeled the victim repeatedly with his bike, leaving him with cuts on his head and face.
—Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 28 Mar. 2025
Waves of discontent pummeled political leaders who were powerless to quell them.
—Moisés Naím, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2025
But escalating trade tensions with Canada, Mexico and China have pummeled Wall Street.
—Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pummel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pummel
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
Verb
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The titles of 12 such books — some of which may have been published before 2025 — are hidden below within an unrelated text passage.—
J. D. Biersdorfer,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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Read Next World Palace gardens hid 900-year-old ruins of bathhouse in Spain — until now.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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All that — that’s what came turning around the corner late Sunday afternoon, striding through a tunnel of fans off Augusta’s 18th green, walking without a shadow despite a shallow sun; arms extended, eyes welling, chest pounding.—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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Deadly flooding in the South and Midwest The mother of a 9-year-old boy is speaking out after he was swept away and killed by floodwaters in Kentucky during the four days of historic storms that pounded the region.—
Chris Looft,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Her decision to turn down the Apple beat at the Journal in 2007, the year the iPhone was released, in order to pursue an M.F.A. in fiction propels an exploration of how much human creativity depends on the ideas and labor of others.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2025
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Her defense has raised the possibility that someone else beat him to death and left him in the cold.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Better to lash out first, or at least build up a protective armor.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
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All the while, sawn-off shotguns; love locks inscribed with names lashed to bridges, their keys slung into the river; and other reminders of modern life are topping up the Thames.—
Sean Kingsley,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Take it from us and whip out this gem for special occasions versus everyday wear, as Gucci recommends shielding it from direct light, heat, and rain.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
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In the early hours of April 21, 1775, gale-force winds whipped across the town square, driving the shivering sentries from their posts to the shelter of their beds.—
Andrew Lawler,
Smithsonian Magazine,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Acceleration is smooth and the all-wheel-drive system gives you stability in the snow and rain, both of which I was pelted with during the 311 miles the test ate up.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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The Leafs were outplayed by an inferior team The Leafs were chasing the game for most of the night, especially in the first period when the Sharks pelted Joseph Woll with 16 shots.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The two rivals slapped each other, and Charlotte missed a spear in the corner.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
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The Republican president slapped 10% tariffs on most goods entering the country but delayed the implementation of higher levies, pending negotiations.—
Trevor Hunnicutt,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pummel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pummel. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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