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 It has been dented, battered, and carried proudly by generations of Hokies. Christina Daves, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025 According to police, Crow and the woman he’s accused of battering live together and were involved in fight about past relationships. John MacLauchlan, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2025 In that last act, your character is battered and bloodied beyond belief. Alex Ritman, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025 Ellison and Shell must take risks in real time while motivating a workforce battered by cuts. Jason Wingard, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for batter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for batter
Verb
  • Common symptoms include excessive scratching, licking, ear infections, and digestive issues.
    Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The pair is seen crawling through a wildflower field, dancing, and jumping, but also hollering at each other, brandishing knives, and at some point, Lawrence licks a window with zeal.
    Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • For the first time, Israel launched an airstrike in Qatar, bombing a building in Doha that houses Hamas political leadership.
    Greg Dixon, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Israel has also regularly bombed the south.
    USA Today, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The rain pounded so hard Friday afternoon that Aventura police closed a portion of Biscayne Boulevard from 191st Street to 29th Avenue, near Aventura Mall, due to road flooding.
    Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • TikTok videos often feature variations where pranksters pound on or kick people’s front doors.
    Holly Yan, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Carefully slide the spoon between the whites and shell and apply light pressure to separate the two.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Rajab and her family had been fleeing Gaza City when their vehicle was shelled, killing her uncle, aunt and three cousins.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The View cohost Joy Behar's instincts as an Italian-American mama bear led her to lash out at Hollywood actor Martin Sheen over his handling of son Charlie Sheen's past substance addiction.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Ben-Gvir, who leads a small far-right ultranationalist party, lashed out at the court ruling Sunday.
    Natalie Melzer, Twin Cities, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • One time a game, a team may send any hitter in the lineup to bat.
    Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
  • But the two-point conversion pass to Noah Gray failed when Chargers lineman Teair Tart batted down the pass.
    Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • His best friend’s little sister sets out to whip him back into shape.
    Tessa Bailey, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Boaters were the last to be warned to watch the sky as a line of wind-whipping storms pushed out to sea.
    Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In corroborating much of the testimony Pentagon intelligence official David Grusch offered in July 2023, Elizondo also accused the Department of Defense of hiding its UFO programs from Congress while misappropriating funds to operate them.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Coel, the boundary-pushing revelation from I May Destroy You, is a perfect foil, hiding Lori’s feelings behind her deadpan delivery, unblinking sphinx-like stare and wary body language but poised to shoot barbs when the moment calls for them.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Batter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/batter. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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