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
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Recent Examples of slugging
Rice is slugging almost 100 points higher than Kurtz, though the A’s slugger’s ability to get on base has their OPS numbers in a comparable range.
—
Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
Just one slugging homegrown hitter can help so, so much.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 11 June 2026
There wasn’t much concern about the hard-slugging right fielder’s condition, however.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026
The bottom portion of the UCLA lineup picked up the slack, slugging two homers among the six hits and four RBIs from the 6-9 spots.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 31 May 2026
Slimp earned first-team all-Big Ten honors as the leadoff hitter for a Bruins team that features slugging stars Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
But, more importantly, the Dodgers had nine hits in their eight times to the plate, with rookie Santiago Espinal and recently-off-the-IL Mookie Betts slugging back-to-back home runs to lead off the bottom of the third inning.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
That slugging potential was showcased early in his MLB career.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
Houston’s offense ranked eighth in the majors in batting average and sixth in slugging against left-handed pitching.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 10 May 2026
Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
Just one slugging homegrown hitter can help so, so much.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 11 June 2026
There wasn’t much concern about the hard-slugging right fielder’s condition, however.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026
The bottom portion of the UCLA lineup picked up the slack, slugging two homers among the six hits and four RBIs from the 6-9 spots.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 31 May 2026
Slimp earned first-team all-Big Ten honors as the leadoff hitter for a Bruins team that features slugging stars Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
But, more importantly, the Dodgers had nine hits in their eight times to the plate, with rookie Santiago Espinal and recently-off-the-IL Mookie Betts slugging back-to-back home runs to lead off the bottom of the third inning.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
That slugging potential was showcased early in his MLB career.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
Houston’s offense ranked eighth in the majors in batting average and sixth in slugging against left-handed pitching.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 10 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slugging
Verb
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Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
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The purpose of any heat shield is to be sure the extreme temperatures that objects hitting Earth’s atmosphere experience don’t harm the crew or cargo inside the vehicle.—
Margaret Landis,
The Conversation,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Georgia finished the season with a record of 53-14, won the SEC regular season and tournament titles, along with punching its first ticket back to Omaha for the first time since 2008.—
Hunter DeLauder,
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
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He was also cuffed inside his Bronx home in 2024 after punching a family member in the face and choking them.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 June 2026
-
Newsom’s office said that along with the FBI, agents from the IRS have been knocking on doors and asking questions.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Verb
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The deputy's response, seen on bodycam video slapping the suspect during her arrest, is under review, according to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
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In the run-up to the elections, Russia upped pressure on its ally by slapping import bans on Armenian products, including fresh fruit, flowers and spirits.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Deputies responded to a report of a driver smacking his car into a guardrail in front of The Bridge Restaurant before driving away, according to a sheriff’s office news release.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2026
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As the match got away from her in the second set and the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd became increasingly hostile, Andreeva fully unraveled, smacking another ball towards the roof and asking members of her box to leave.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The bomber was in the air a very short time before slamming into the ground about halfway down the runway.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
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By Monday morning, Israeli politicians from across the spectrum were already slamming the deal, despite the fact that its details remain largely ill-defined.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
15 June 2026
Verb
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And on the other hand, there've been some folks who would like to see me out every day, right, banging the drum.—
Mark Guarino,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
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Cars pushed through the crowd, hitting at least one person as agitators continued banging, kicking and blocking government vehicles.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Joseph, Nomkhitha and the children stood silently around the dining-room table, trying to calm their pounding hearts; the littlest ones shivered from the cold and fear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
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Eight miles down the road, Ragsdale’s friend and Alva’s former ESL teacher Lisa Weinstein woke up to pounding at her door.—
Karen Valby,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slugging. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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