battered

1 of 2

adjective

bat·​tered ˈba-tərd 

1

: damaged or worn down by hard use

a battered old hat

a battered truck

2

: injured by repeated blows

the victim's battered body

a boxer's battered face

3

: subjected to repeated physical abuse

providing help for battered wives/children

… the store turned into an impromptu women's crisis center, where battered women and mothers trying to rescue their daughters from abusive dads gravitated.

—Donna Minkowitz

battered

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of batter entry 1, batter entry 3, batter entry 5

Examples of battered in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The Market arrives with plenty of momentum and a lot of goodwill from a battered industry hungry for signs of a recovery. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026

One guy in cargo shorts and a battered Ramones T-shirt kept casting dirty looks at the sky, clearly annoyed at the thumping of the TV news helicopters — there were at least three overhead at all times — drowning out his commentary. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Indiana transfer quarterback Josh Hoover started the 2026 season with a battered and bloody face. — Justin Williams, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Behind the heavy riffs and battered drums is a think piece about the anxiety that can come with success and the crippling doubt of imposter syndrome. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 27 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing battered

• battered child syndrome
• battered woman syndrome

Rhymes for battered

• backscattered
• chattered
• clattered
• flattered
• mattered
• pattered
• scattered
• shattered
• spattered
• splattered
• tattered