as in hitting
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
she got so angry that she slugged the back of the chair and knocked it over
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of slugging
Bryce Harper has been slugging with Victus bats for a while now — last season, Harper rocked a custom baby blue bat for a gender reveal when his wife Kayla was expecting their fourth child, Hayes Three Harper.
—
Nikki Dementri, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Rodriguez doesn’t have a home run yet this season after slugging seven of them a year ago.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 14 Mar. 2026
The Miami Hurricanes’ slugging outfielder didn’t waste the opportunity, depositing the pitch into right field for a go-ahead two-run double in the Hurricanes’ eventual 5-2 win over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on Wednesday at Mark Light Field.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Despite the second-half struggles, Suzuki shined in his first MLB postseason, slugging three doubles and three home runs in eight games.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
His drinking appears to have led to Laura secretly slugging down alcohol as a child.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
He’s displayed + power, slugging 44 HR in just 118 games while walking more than striking out.
—Teddy Cahill, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The offense — albeit playing half its games in a Triple-A park — ranked fifth in the majors in slugging, eighth in OPS and 12th in runs scored.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 10 Feb. 2026
But are the Red Sox a more complete team with a lineup that no longer features the slugging Rafael Devers, Bregman the ‘baseball rat,’ as Cora affectionately calls him, and southpaw slayer Rob Refsnyder?
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 9 Feb. 2026
Nikki Dementri, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Rodriguez doesn’t have a home run yet this season after slugging seven of them a year ago.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 14 Mar. 2026
The Miami Hurricanes’ slugging outfielder didn’t waste the opportunity, depositing the pitch into right field for a go-ahead two-run double in the Hurricanes’ eventual 5-2 win over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on Wednesday at Mark Light Field.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Despite the second-half struggles, Suzuki shined in his first MLB postseason, slugging three doubles and three home runs in eight games.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
His drinking appears to have led to Laura secretly slugging down alcohol as a child.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
He’s displayed + power, slugging 44 HR in just 118 games while walking more than striking out.
—Teddy Cahill, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The offense — albeit playing half its games in a Triple-A park — ranked fifth in the majors in slugging, eighth in OPS and 12th in runs scored.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 10 Feb. 2026
But are the Red Sox a more complete team with a lineup that no longer features the slugging Rafael Devers, Bregman the ‘baseball rat,’ as Cora affectionately calls him, and southpaw slayer Rob Refsnyder?
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 9 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slugging
Verb
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Gerhardt Konig hoped Thursday to persuade a Hawaiian jury that hitting his wife repeatedly with a rock was self-defense.—
April 2,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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The film also was shown at a number of other festivals before hitting the awards circuit as the Palestinian entry for this year’s Academy Awards.—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The man responded by punching the child's father in the nose, court documents said.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Michigan made a statement on Sunday, punching its ticket to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Things got worse for the Wild a few shifts later when Spurgeon foiled a Florida rush to the Minnesota net, but went down at full speed and slid hard into the goalpost, knocking the net off the moorings.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
27 Mar. 2026
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The level 3 out of 5, or the area with numerous severe thunderstorms, is literally knocking on the door.—
Ray Petelin,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Airlines across the region, like Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific are slapping hefty fuel surcharges on flights; Vietnam and the Philippines are even weighing whether to ground planes.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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But every so often there comes a day that is so different—so unusual—so spectacular that its happening can only be chalked up to old-fashioned, knee-slapping good luck.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Los Angeles, Jonathon Redondo-Rosales was charged with assault for smacking an agent with a hat after a car struck him.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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But a leadoff walk in the top of the 9th allowed Eugenio Suárez to knock in what would prove to be the winning run, smacking a double to left center field and scoring pinch runner Javier Sonoja.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The wing struck the roof of a home before slamming into an exterior wall of a second home next door.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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The pair have been in physical altercations in the past, including Manning's 2012 arrest for allegedly punching, scratching, kicking and choking Hartman – whom media outlets have referred to as Manning's former make-up artist and assistant – and slamming her head against the floor and wall.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The oil shortage has also affected public services and food transportation, prompting rare protests in some cities, with citizens banging pots and pans and lighting bonfires in the darkness.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
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Many of us at City Hall also have been banging our heads against the wall about it, but the situation is more grim than most Chicagoans realize.—
Bill Conway,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That didn’t stop Uthmeier from chest-pounding across social-media platforms.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Mar. 2026
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That is when Peralta started pounding the rookie inside.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slugging. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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