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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
verbbludgeoned; bludgeoning; bludgeons
Definition of bludgeon (Entry 2 of 2)
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
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Synonyms for bludgeon
Synonyms: Noun
- bastinado
- (or bastinade),
- bat,
- baton,
- billy,
- billy club,
- cane,
- club,
- cudgel,
- nightstick,
- rod,
- rung
- [Scottish],
- sap,
- shillelagh
- (also shillalah),
- staff,
- truncheon,
- waddy
- [Australian]
Synonyms: Verb
- bang,
- bash,
- bat,
- belt,
- biff,
- bob,
- bonk,
- bop,
- box,
- bust,
- clap,
- clip,
- clobber,
- clock,
- clout,
- crack,
- hammer,
- hit,
- knock,
- nail,
- paste,
- pound,
- punch,
- rap,
- slam,
- slap,
- slog,
- slug,
- smack,
- smite,
- sock,
- strike,
- swat,
- swipe,
- tag,
- thump,
- thwack,
- wallop,
- whack,
- whale,
- zap
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
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun In reaching for the age-old tariffs bludgeon, America may have hastened the collapse of the global free trading consensus.
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Stephen Collinson, CNN, "What Trump really gets from his China deal," 15 Jan. 2020 President Donald Trump isn’t the only one wielding a Twitter account like a bludgeon.
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Bill Goodykoontz, azcentral, "How U.S. TV news covered Iran's missile attack says a lot about our media — and society," 7 Jan. 2020 New York Times columnist Paul Krugman uses ‘deaths of despair’ as a partisan bludgeon.
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Mona Charen, National Review, "Red-State Death, Blue-State Health?," 5 Dec. 2019 Making a list Mr Trump has used sanctions as a bludgeon in high-profile disputes.
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The Economist, "Donald Trump has shown a surprising enthusiasm for sanctions," 28 Nov. 2019 De-energizing the electrical grid is a bludgeon: imprecise, with enormous potential for collateral damage as people deal with a darkened world.
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Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, "A Taste of the Climate Apocalypse to Come," 22 Oct. 2019 Meantime the director goes at the social satire with a bludgeon, not a rapier, so that the insufferably progressive liberal smugness, embodied in the Seattle private school Bee attends, grows tiresome.
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Michael Phillips, Twin Cities, "‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’: A brilliant, troubled architect becomes a bit of a bore," 16 Aug. 2019 Meantime the director goes at the social satire with a bludgeon, not a rapier, so that the insufferably progressive liberal smugness, embodied in the Seattle private school Bee attends, grows tiresome.
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Michael Phillips, Twin Cities, "‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’: A brilliant, troubled architect becomes a bit of a bore," 16 Aug. 2019 Meantime the director goes at the social satire with a bludgeon, not a rapier, so that the insufferably progressive liberal smugness, embodied in the Seattle private school Bee attends, grows tiresome.
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Michael Phillips, Twin Cities, "‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’: A brilliant, troubled architect becomes a bit of a bore," 16 Aug. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb She had been bludgeoned 36 times with a tool used to check tire inflation on trucks, and blood was spattered around the room, according to court records.
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Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, "Lawsuit seeks to explore evidence that man executed in killing might have been innocent," 23 Jan. 2020 For one, Democratic leaders have plainly grown tired of being bludgeoned by progressives and impeachment advocates.
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Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, "The Right Way to Impeach Trump," 28 Sep. 2019 The Sopranos continually punished its characters—and its viewers—for fetishizing the spoils of criminality, bludgeoning us with their moral and psychological costs.
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Adam Wilson, Harper's magazine, "Good Bad Bad Good," 16 Sep. 2019 He was found guilty of breaking into her home, raping her and bludgeoning her to death with a hammer.
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Marc Freeman, sun-sentinel.com, "Death sentences under review for man who raped and killed Boca mom and Delray babysitter," 27 June 2019 Far too many people on the left and in the liberal media are weaponizing race and using it as a political cudgel to bludgeon their opponents.
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WSJ, "Dr. King Would Be Sad About Our Identity Politics," 23 Jan. 2020 Former Titans star Keith Bulluck reminded me that the Patriots' plan of attack has historically changed from one week to the next, while the Titans make no bones about their intent to bludgeon defenses with Henry.
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Nate Davis, USA TODAY, "Opinion: Tennessee Titans keeping New England Patriots' spirit alive and well during surprise playoff run," 15 Jan. 2020 The Titans used running back Derrick Henry - 182 yards and a touchdown on 34 carries - as a battering ram to bludgeon the New England Patriots.
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oregonlive, "Baltimore Ravens vs Tennessee Titans: NFL playoffs live score updates, TV channel, how to watch free live stream online," 11 Jan. 2020 Johnson is accused of bludgeoning Gomm at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater on July 18, 2018.
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Mary Divine, Twin Cities, "Stillwater inmate accused of corrections officer’s murder says he’s fit to stand trial," 13 Dec. 2019
See MoreThese 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.
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More Definitions for bludgeon
bludgeon
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of bludgeon
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a heavy stick that usually has one thick end and is used as a weapon
: something that is used to attack or bully someone
bludgeon
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of bludgeon (Entry 2 of 2)
: to hit (someone or something) very hard
: to use arguments or threats to force (someone) to do something
See the full definition for bludgeon in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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Comments on bludgeon
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Time Traveler for bludgeon
The first known use of bludgeon was in 1730
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