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

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 On December 21st 1908 Marion Gilchrist, a wealthy spinster, was bludgeoned to death with a blunt instrument. — The Economist, "When Arthur Conan Doyle cried “J’Accuse…!”," 7 July 2018 After one of the men was observed speaking with a local child in a market, the group was detained and beaten by local villagers, bludgeoning five of them to death. — Eli Meixler, Time, "Five Killed in Latest Mob Attack After Rumors on Social Media. Here’s What to Know About India's WhatsApp Murders," 3 July 2018 He was found bludgeoned to death with a cord around his neck by a co-star who had gone to Crane's apartment to work with him on some lines from the play. — John D'anna, azcentral, "'Hogan's Heroes' star Bob Crane was murdered 40 years ago. Why does it still fascinate us?," 29 June 2018 The music’s own, natural flourishes start to come through and just tickle (instead of bludgeoning) my pleasure receptors. — Vlad Savov, The Verge, "Audio-Technica R70x review: the definition of neutral headphones," 6 July 2018 The Club bludgeoned the league’s best team for the second straight day Sunday. — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Paul Daugherty: The Cincinnati Reds, Matt Harvey are weirdly great right now," 1 July 2018 When Boleslaw Giedrojc left between 10-15 minutes to check on Summers, his wife bludgeoned the baby. — Howard Ludwig, Daily Southtown, "Grandmother who brutally killed infant in Oak Lawn found not guilty by reason of insanity," 23 May 2018 In 2016, the Cardinals bludgeoned SIU Edwardsville, 21-4, in front of a school-record opening day crowd of 3,116. — Danielle Lerner, The Courier-Journal, "Crowds unaffected by admission as Louisville baseball wins home opener," 20 Feb. 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.