bludgeon

noun blud·geon \ ˈblə-jən \

|Updated on: 16 Jul 2018

Examples: bludgeon in a Sentence

Definition of bludgeon

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

See bludgeon defined for English-language learners

See bludgeon defined for kids

Examples of bludgeon in a Sentence

guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound

Recent Examples of bludgeon from the Web

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

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.

Origin and Etymology of bludgeon

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1730

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

bludgeon Synonyms

Synonyms

bat, baton, billy, billy club, cane, club, cudgel, nightstick, rod, shillelagh (also shillalah), staff, truncheon;

Related Words

blackjack, knobkerrie, mace;

birch, crabstick, hickory, rattan, stave, switch;

beetle, gavel, hammer, mallet, maul, sledgehammer;

crook, crosier (or crozier), walking stick;

Other Weapons and Explosives Terms

automatic, carbine, cudgel, muzzle, rapier

bludgeon

verb

Definition of bludgeon

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

See bludgeon defined for English-language learners

Examples of bludgeon in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of bludgeon from the Web

This isn't the first time 50 has bludgeoned Williams with harsh words.

— carl lamarre, Billboard, "50 Cent Calls Wendy Williams a 'B!tch' For Addressing His Feud With Papoose," 12 July 2018
But the result still amuses the man whose own postseason system was marked for demolition in June 2012, five months after the Crimson Tide bludgeoned the Tigers on that January night in the New Orleans Superdome.

— ross dellenger, SI.com, "Did the LSU-Alabama Rematch Really Kill the BCS?," 10 July 2018
Six-foot-3, 225 pound former quarterbacks aren’t supposed to convert to strong safety and bludgeon the NFL — but somehow Chancellor did.

— matt calkins, The Seattle Times, "Kam Chancellor’s legacy with Seahawks will be one of intimidation, big hits," 1 July 2018
Soldado bludgeons its way into touchy border politics, and maybe lucks its way into a story focused on the moral imperative of protecting a single child.

— gary thompson, Philly.com, "'Sicario: Day of the Soldado': On the border between action and exploitation," 27 June 2018
The All-American bludgeoned his 23rd home run and drove in a pair of runs in a 4-2 win over Tennessee Tech, setting up a winner-take-all super regional Game 3 on Monday at Disch-Falk Field.

— nick moyle, San Antonio Express-News, "Texas forces Game 3 with win over Tennessee Tech," 10 June 2018
The All-American bludgeoned his 23rd home run and drove in a pair of runs in a 4-2 win over Tennessee Tech, setting up a winner-take-all super regional Game 3 on Monday at Disch-Falk Field.

— nick moyle, Houston Chronicle, "UT defeats Tennessee Tech to force Game 3 of super regional," 10 June 2018
Video of the May 16 melee outside the Sheridan Circle residence showed men in suits and olive-green military-style jackets kicking and bludgeoning protesters including women carrying young children and men in their 60s.

— Washington Post, "Lawsuits filed against Turkey over violence with guards at 2017 D.C. protest," 10 May 2018
The Red Sox kept on rolling, bludgeoning the Yankees by 14-1 behind starter Chris Sale.

— tyler kepner, New York Times, "Red Sox Bludgeon the Yankees With a Reminder: They’re Still the Team to Beat," 10 Apr. 2018