bludgeon

1 of 2

noun

blud·​geon ˈblə-jən How to pronounce bludgeon (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The transformation of the rattlesnake into a colonial icon coincided with the demise of the snakes themselves as settlers began to bludgeon rattlesnakes by the thousands. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Aug. 2025 While Israel was conducting its war in Gaza with a merciless bludgeon and no conception of an ending, its tactics against Hezbollah—setting off the beeper bombs, wiping out its missile stocks and weapons depots, killing its military and political leaders—proved far better targeted. David Remnick, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
Verb
O’Steen bludgeoned Marissa Grimes, dug a shallow grave for her under his house in west Fort Worth and for 10 days lived above where police later sawed open the floor to expose Grimes’ decomposing 135-pound body, prosecutors have argued that the evidence shows. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025 Story editing is a form of self-talk that preempts your under-estimator from seizing control with its bludgeoning feedback. Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bludgeon

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of bludgeon was in 1730

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bludgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bludgeon. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

bludgeon

1 of 2 noun
blud·​geon ˈbləj-ən How to pronounce bludgeon (audio)
: a short club with one end thicker and heavier than the other

bludgeon

2 of 2 verb
: to hit very hard : beat

More from Merriam-Webster on bludgeon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!