pummel

verb

pum·​mel ˈpə-məl 

pummeled also pummelled; pummeling also pummelling ˈpə-mə-liŋ 

ˈpəm-liŋ

: pound, beat

Synonyms of pummel

• lick
• hide
• pound
• beat
• lash
• whip
• pelt
• slap
• hit
• knock
• attack
• punch
• smash
• assault
• thump
• spank
• do
• slam
• batter
• bludgeon
• maul

Examples of pummel in a Sentence

pummeled the mugger with her fists until help arrived

Recent Examples on the Web

The phenomenon of a wet, rotating oceanic system pummeling the Northeast produced such legendary storms as the Ash Wednesday storm of 1962, the Blizzard of ‘78 and 1993’s Storm of the Century. —Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 25 Feb. 2026

An historic nor’easter pummeled the region on Monday — with one spot even breaking the snow record from the Blizzard of ’78 — as power crews work around the clock to try to restore electricity for hundreds of thousands. —Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 24 Feb. 2026

An off-duty NYPD cop was pummeled to the ground by a Brooklyn couple during an argument over them shoveling snow onto her property, officials said Tuesday. —Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026

Yet Ukrainian civilians have been pummeled by Russian air strikes over the years, spurring power outages and cuts to their water supply. —Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of pommel

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pummel

• hummel

Kids Definition

pummel

verb

pum·​mel ˈpəm-əl 

pummeled or pummelled; pummeling or pummelling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: pound entry 3 sense 2a, beat

knead and pummel the dough

2

: to defeat decisively

pummeled the competition