batter

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb batter contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of batter are cripple, maim, mangle, and mutilate. While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate.

an old ship battered by fierce storms

When is cripple a more appropriate choice than batter?

The synonyms cripple and batter are sometimes interchangeable, but cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg.

crippled for life in an accident

When can maim be used instead of batter?

While in some cases nearly identical to batter, maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence.

maimed by a shark

When is it sensible to use mangle instead of batter?

In some situations, the words mangle and batter are roughly equivalent. However, mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds.

a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

In what contexts can mutilate take the place of batter?

Although the words mutilate and batter have much in common, mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function.

a tree mutilated by inept pruning

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of batter As massive waves battered the ship to pieces, an Indigenous Australian man on land attempted to swim a rope out to the ship to save the captain but just couldn’t make it in the surge, Hunter recounted. Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 16 May 2025 One complicating factor in these predictions is the fluctuating puffiness of Earth’s atmosphere, which can swell or shrink based on how much it’s being battered by solar wind and other space weather events. Lee Billings, Scientific American, 7 May 2025 The ongoing hunger is threatening Gaza’s population, already battered by 19 months of war. Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025 The upward movement was a welcome change for shareholders, as the stock has fallen 17% in 2025 to date, battered by Donald Trump’s tariffs and other forces. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for batter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for batter
Verb
  • Fundraising craters, and both tech and blockchain are left licking their wounds.
    Tomer Warschauer Nuni, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
  • To stop their younger golden retriever Cooper from licking his ears, Tucker had a medical cone.
    Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • When Russia began bombing Kyiv in 2022, the walls were blown away, exposing the old newspapers.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
  • On May 2, Israel bombed an area near the presidential palace in Damascus.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • Thirty minutes later, Combs was pounding on the apartment door with a hammer, Morgan said.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 20 May 2025
  • The creek is pounding the foundation of his cottage and seeping inside.
    Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • Despite a pause in drone attacks, Russian forces continued shelling frontline and border areas, using glide bombs on military and civilian targets, in violation of its own ceasefire, Ukrainian authorities reported.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • India and Pakistan abruptly declared a cease-fire on Saturday after four days of rapidly escalating drone volleys, shelling and airstrikes that appeared to bring the old enemies to the brink of outright war.
    Anupreeta Das, New York Times, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • As judges have ruled against the Trump administration, the president and his allies have lashed out in response, suggesting judges should not be allowed to constrain Trump's presidential actions and calling for judges to be impeached.
    Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
  • The Journal’s editorial page has weighed in multiple times against Trump’s tariffs, and the president has in turn lashed out at the publication.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • The Athletics rookie shortstop has batted .363/.389/.513 with nine doubles and five homers, but what’s perhaps even more amazing is that he’s struck out just nine times and walked only seven times in 168 plate appearances.
    Jim Bowden, New York Times, 14 May 2025
  • Mullins is in his eighth season in the MLB, all with the Orioles, and is batting .229 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs.
    Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Caballero looked on the verge of tears as the Ivorian whipped the ball into the corner, a heroic performance from a back-up goalkeeper who’d played in every previous round to repay manager Manuel Pellegrini’s faith.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 17 May 2025
  • Made with 92 percent natural ingredients, the gentle, sulfate-free shampoo is whipped with tea tree and peppermint oils, which help create a healthy pH balance on the scalp and smell like a spa.
    Jenny Berg, Allure, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • At 19, Johnson married his wife Daphne and initially, was able to hide his drug use from her, the Johnson's clemency petition said.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • This navy/stone style is one person’s solution to hiding their two dogs’ dark-colored fur.
    Ali Faccenda, People.com, 21 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Batter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/batter. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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