bludgeon

1 of 2

noun

blud·​geon ˈblə-jən 

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

2 of 2

verb

bludgeoned; bludgeoning; bludgeons

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 of bludgeon

Noun

• cane
• baton
• cudgel

Verb

• slap
• hit
• smack
• knock
• punch
• slam
• bang
• strike
• clap
• whack
• pound
• swipe
• clip
• bat

Examples of bludgeon in a Sentence

Noun

guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound

Verb

remodelers bludgeoned the wall with a sledgehammer to join the two rooms

the boxer bludgeons opponents with an assortment of punches

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Iran practices honest bludgeon work. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026

But Beshear hasn’t turned Trump-bashing into a 24/7 vocation, or a weight-lifting contest where the winner is the critic wielding the heaviest bludgeon. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026

Verb

Two days after Gerardi released the report, on April 26, 1998, he was bludgeoned to death in his home. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026

Over a period of more than an hour, according to police reports and Sebold’s memoir, the assailant bludgeoned Sebold with his fists, pounded her skull into the brick and choked her. — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

Verb

verbal derivative of bludgeon entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bludgeon

• dudgeon
• gudgeon

Kids Definition

bludgeon

1 of 2 noun

blud·​geon ˈbləj-ən 

: a short club with one end thicker and heavier than the other

bludgeon

2 of 2 verb

: to hit very hard : beat