battering
noun
bat·ter·ing
ˈba-tə-riŋ 
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
The Nation2
: 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
Bob KravitzWhile her confidence took a battering [=was damaged], she kept a game face throughout the season.—Sally Bedell Smith
Sally Bedell SmithExamples of battering in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bystanders have recorded video of officers using a battering ram to get into a house as well as smashing vehicle windows and dragging people out of cars.
—Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
Bystanders have recorded video of officers using a battering ram to get into a house as well as smashing vehicle windows and dragging people out of cars.
—Steve Karnowski, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Wearing helmets and carrying rifles, the officers used a battering ram to break through the front door and conduct a search of the property.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 14 Jan. 2026
The Giants’ battering-ram rookie tailback was asked by DraftKings last week for a Super Bowl pick, and his face turned orange and blue.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Nov. 2025
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Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
Bystanders have recorded video of officers using a battering ram to get into a house as well as smashing vehicle windows and dragging people out of cars.
—Steve Karnowski, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Wearing helmets and carrying rifles, the officers used a battering ram to break through the front door and conduct a search of the property.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 14 Jan. 2026
The Giants’ battering-ram rookie tailback was asked by DraftKings last week for a Super Bowl pick, and his face turned orange and blue.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for battering
Cite this Entry
“Battering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/battering. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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