Synonyms of mutilate

mutilate

verb

ˈmyü-tə-ˌlāt 

as in to cripple

to cause severe or permanent injury to

was lucky not to be mutilated in the car crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cripple
• incapacitate
• injure
• maim
• wound
• disable
• kill
• scar
• damage
• hurt
• bruise
• lame
• dismember
• paralyze
• disfigure
• hit
• mangle
• lacerate
• beat
• maul
• impair
• rough (up)
• lick
• wing
• hobble
• harm
• hamstring
• murder
• pummel
• smash
• torture
• bludgeon
• batter
• gore
• slap
• punch
• spank
• whack
• box
• smack
• whip
• hammer
• paste
• flog
• pound
• pelt
• thrash
• bash
• belt
• torment
• bang
• thump
• lambaste
• lash
• swipe
• swat
• break
• bung up
• sock
• buffet
• lambast
• lace
• drub
• kneecap
• wallop
• pommel
• thwack

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• heal
• cure
• rehabilitate
• remedy
• fix
• patch
• restore
• repair
• renew
• mend
• doctor
• rejuvenate

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb mutilate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mutilate are batter, cripple, maim, and mangle. While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function.

a tree mutilated by inept pruning

Where would batter be a reasonable alternative to mutilate?

Although the words batter and mutilate have much in common, batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate.

an old ship battered by fierce storms

When is cripple a more appropriate choice than mutilate?

The words cripple and mutilate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg.

crippled for life in an accident

When can maim be used instead of mutilate?

The meanings of maim and mutilate largely overlap; however, maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence.

maimed by a shark

When could mangle be used to replace mutilate?

While in some cases nearly identical to mutilate, mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds.

a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mutilate

Maxwell Anderson, 33, of Milwaukee, was charged by Milwaukee police with murder, mutilating a corpse and arson in her killing. —Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025

Although Till was murdered and mutilated in Mississippi, he was born in Chicago, like Johnson. —Yinka Elujoba, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025

But early the next morning, the 11-year-old boy’s body was discovered mutilated in the Verrières-le-Buisson woods in the Paris suburbs. —Sean Neumann, People.com, 10 May 2025

Some victims were mutilated, and many were decapitated. —Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025