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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 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.
—
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.
—
Michael Phillips, Twin Cities, "‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’: A brilliant, troubled architect becomes a bit of a bore," 16 Aug. 2019 Ducks coach Mario Cristobal has made no secret of his desire to build an SEC-style team in Eugene, one that bludgeons opponents, that dominates the line of scrimmage, that is physically and mentally tougher than its foe.
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Jon Wilner, The Denver Post, "Pac-12 football rewind: Oregon buckles in the fourth, USC tries to lose but fails, Washington rolls and injuries mount," 1 Sep. 2019 Ducks coach Mario Cristobal has made no secret of his desire to build an SEC-style team in Eugene, one that bludgeons opponents, that dominates the line of scrimmage, that is physically and mentally tougher than its foe.
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Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, "Saturday Night Five: Oregon buckles in the fourth, USC tries to lose but fails, Washington rolls and injuries mount," 1 Sep. 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 Prosecutors said Frazee bludgeoned Berreth with a baseball bat at her townhouse, then took her body to his ranch and burned her remains.
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Washington Post, "‘It will haunt us’: Colorado man gets life sentence for fatally beating fiancee and burning her remains," 19 Nov. 2019 Prosecutors alleged Frazee bludgeoned Berreth, a Colorado flight instructor, with a baseball bat at her home in Woodland Park, Colorado, on Thanksgiving 2018.
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Laura Barcella, PEOPLE.com, "Patrick Frazee Found Guilty of Murdering Fiancée Kelsey Berreth," 18 Nov. 2019 But no player bludgeoned the Blazers more than Eric Paschall, a rookie forward drafted by the Warriors in the second round.
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Joe Freeman, oregonlive, "Golden State Warriors beat Portland Trail Blazers 127-118: Game rewind," 4 Nov. 2019 Two years earlier, white men had bludgeoned black teenager Emmett Till to death in Mississippi.
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NBC News, "Trump Claim Brings New Pain to Relatives of Lynching Victims," 23 Oct. 2019 Two years earlier, white men had bludgeoned black teenager Emmett Till to death in Mississippi.
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Jay Reeves, Twin Cities, "Trump lynching claim renews pain for kin of actual victims," 23 Oct. 2019 Other than a tight 17-10 win over Pittsburgh, Penn State has bludgeoned its opponents, showing a gift for explosive plays with sophomore Sean Clifford under center.
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Los Angeles Times, "College football games to watch: Oklahoma and Texas renew Red River Rivalry," 10 Oct. 2019 Far-right massacres are actually leftist hoaxes, but Antifa will bludgeon any conservatives who dissent into submission.
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Matt Ford, The New Republic, "Donald Trump’s New Lost Cause," 3 Oct. 2019 As robbery detectives continued Monday to investigate that home-invasion attack, a burglar allegedly bludgeoned a 72-year-old homeowner with a crowbar outside the victim’s home on Kesling Street in Clairemont.
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Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, "SDPD arrests 2 in Clairemont home-invasion attack of 87-year-old man," 29 July 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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Time Traveler for bludgeon
The first known use of bludgeon was in 1730
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