battering

noun bat·ter·ing \ ˈba-tə-riŋ \

|Updated on: 29 Jun 2018

Definition of battering

1 : violent physical abuse that usually involves the act of striking someone repeatedly or heavily in order to cause injury

Feminists turned violence against women, previously a well-kept secret, into a public political issue; made rape, incest, battering and sexual harassment understood as crimes; and got public funding for shelters for battered women.
—The Nation

2 : a damaging experience or situation : an injury, setback, or defeat

That was the year Canada rebounded from a 28–4 battering in the round-robin to beat the U.S. 17–16 in the championship final …
—Bob Kravitz

While her confidence took a battering [=was damaged], she kept a game face throughout the season.
—Sally Bedell Smith

See battering defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of battering from the Web

Finally, police tried to enter the garage with a battering ram.

— eric adler and glenn e. rice, kansascity, "‘KCPD murdered my only daughter,’ says mother of woman who wielded decorative sword," 15 June 2018
Don't doubt for a second that the batterings and grueling battles will take a toll, too.

— patrick brennan, Cincinnati.com, "Is the Big East too tough for its own good?," 4 Jan. 2018
Rutter thinks parking should be prohibited on Main Street because floods turn the cars into battering rams, smashing into properties and causing damage.

— luke broadwater, baltimoresun.com, "It could cost $85 million to make Ellicott City safer from flooding — but that still wouldn't eliminate the threat. Should the historic town be rebuilt?," 1 June 2018
One Wildcat pilot, apparently out of ammunition, used his plane’s wheels as a battering ram, repeatedly smashing into a Betty from above until the Japanese bomber crashed into the sea.

— gary kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, "In World War II, San Francisco’s namesake ship was a Navy hero," 25 May 2018
Ms Nahles has a battle trying to unite the SPD after its battering at last year’s general election and contentious decision to join another grand coalition with the Christian Democrats.

— The Economist, "Politics this week," 26 Apr. 2018
If prices jump, would those students want to go to a school whose reputation has taken a battering in recent months?

— david jesse, Detroit Free Press, "How will Michigan State pay for Nassar victim settlements?," 30 Apr. 2018
Such are the lessons that transform her, the battering experiences of a life fully lived.

— laura collins-hughes, BostonGlobe.com, "It’s a man’s world — even in the myths," 20 Apr. 2018
Dozens of beloved pairs of shoes that had sprung a leak or were injured in some other way by the batterings of time found refuge in his strong hands.

— jane ford-stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "He was a white knight who rescued many things beloved by West Allis families," 17 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'battering.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.