bludgeon

noun

blud·geon | \ˈblə-jən

Definition of bludgeon

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a short stick that usually has one thick or loaded end and is used as a weapon

2 : something used to attack or bully the bludgeon of satire

bludgeon

verb

bludgeoned; bludgeoning; bludgeons

Definition of bludgeon (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to hit with heavy impact was bludgeoned to death

2 : to attack or overcome by aggressive argument : bully mental bludgeoning We do not talk—we bludgeon one another with facts and theories …— Henry Miller

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about bludgeon

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Examples of bludgeon in a Sentence

Noun

guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound

Verb

The victim was bludgeoned to death with a hammer. bludgeoned the door with an iron bar in a senseless act of vandalism

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Using the argument of art’s truth as a bludgeon, Annie dismisses her son’s feelings, offering an even harsher version of the neglect on display by the self-servingly deluded poet-mother in Augusten Burroughs’s memoir Running With Scissors. — Katherine Fusco, The Atlantic, "Hereditary and the Monstrousness of Creative Moms," 11 July 2018 Carl DeMaio, chairman of the initiative campaign, threatened Wednesday on Twitter to launch recall campaigns against two more Democratic senators and use the gas tax as a political bludgeon against half a dozen Assembly Democrats. — Alexei Koseff, sacbee, "Rent control, data privacy and gas taxes for roads: Get ready for the next election," 7 June 2018 Using the dollar as a bludgeon has already led to capricious and arbitrary decision-making. — The Economist, "America must use sanctions cautiously," 19 May 2018 An offense built to bludgeon did so, after almost a week of inability. — Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, "Astros return to standard operating procedure in win over Mariners," 19 Apr. 2018 The UK’s requirement is one of the first countrywide attempts at using public transparency and accountability as a bludgeon against the stubborn gender wage gap. — Bryce Covert, The New Republic, "What the U.S. Can Learn from Britain on Equal Pay," 10 Apr. 2018 Allegations of corruption have long been used as a political bludgeon in Saudi Arabia, where pilfering from the public till has often been synonymous with royalty. — Karl Vick, Time, "The Saudi Crown Prince Thinks He Can Transform the Middle East. Should We Believe Him?," 5 Apr. 2018 The effect is devastating, a rapier to the president’s bludgeon. — The Economist, "Why Stormy Daniels is so dangerous," 22 Mar. 2018 On Thursday, the Astros had similarly crushed the AL East champion Red Sox 8-2, using Jose Altuve’s three home runs as a bludgeon. — star-telegram, "Astros doing Texas, AL West proud as they hammer Red Sox again," 6 Oct. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

During the burglary, one of the other men—not Holle, not Allen, but another man—bludgeoned an 18-year-old girl to death. — Michael Harriot, The Root, "Once More for the People in the Back: Anyone Who Supports Donald Trump Is a Racist," 27 Apr. 2018 Whatever it was bludgeoned the creature's spine and jaw in a calculated fashion and harvested the bones for marrow and tool use. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, "Jaw-Dropping Study Says Some Human Relative Was in California 130,000 Years Ago," 26 Apr. 2017 The lineup resumed the bludgeoning on the first pitch thrown by Nova. — Andy Mccullough, latimes.com, "Max Muncy hits two of Dodgers' six homers in win over Pirates," 4 July 2018 It was decided, after review, she was bludgeoned to death. — Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, "Netflix's 'The Staircase' will be your new true-crime obsession. Here's what you need to know.," 8 June 2018 Santos said Skakel was several miles away from the crime scene on Oct. 30, 1975 watching a Monty Python movie with friends when Moxley was bludgeoned with a golf club. — Washington Post, "Court vacates Kennedy cousin Skakel’s murder conviction," 4 May 2018 The Harringtons, who had been married for three months, were found bludgeoned to death in their home inside an Orange County gated community. — Benjy Egel, sacbee, "Here's the string of crimes tied to the East Area Rapist in years of California terror | The Sacramento Bee," 25 Apr. 2018 Her brother, Charlie Prater, was fatally bludgeoned by four acquaintances who robbed him. — Deborah Yetter, The Courier-Journal, "Marsy's Law for crime victims sails through Kentucky legislature, heads to November ballot," 24 Jan. 2018 Manuela Whittuhn, 28, was found next on Feb. 6, 1981, in her bed in Irvine, where she had been bludgeoned to death. — Sam Stanton, sacbee, "He was a teen chasing a prowler in 1977. He ended up being shot by the East Area Rapist," 8 June 2018

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