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 Iran retaliated against Israel for its surprise attack with over 100 ballistic missiles, and has battered the Jewish state with three barrages so far. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 14 June 2025 Aged air force In statements that have aged like milk, Iranian officials repeatedly reiterated in recent weeks that air defenses battered in the previous October strike were completely repaired and restored and the air force fully prepared to counter any threat. Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025 Gulls peck through closed shutters and doors, determined to batter their way in. Tom Gliatto, People.com, 13 June 2025 Instead, it’s battered like tempura and cut into two pieces. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for batter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for batter
Verb
  • In the video, the mother dog stays close to her pup, licking him and standing over him protectively.
    Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • While her Nickelodeon and Disney peers have seemingly all had at least one major scandal to their names (ranging from incessant twerking and licking unpurchased donuts to near-fatal overdoses), Palmer’s celebrity was, in part, defined by her lack of verifiable scandals.
    Kyle Denis, Billboard, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Trump said military pilots who successfully bombed Iran will be guests for a flyover of military planes during the patriotic ceremony.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 5 July 2025
  • The Twelve-Day War between Israel and Iran in June concluded shortly after the United States intervened by bombing Iranian nuclear sites with 30,000-pound bunker busters dropped by strategic B-2 Spirit stealth bombers.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • The left-hander got pounded a year ago and thumped again in his first taste of big-league action for eight runs in five innings against the Washington Nationals.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 26 June 2025
  • Kamala Harris pounded Joe Biden over his stances on busing from the 1970s—a long-ago dispute that even became fodder for J.D. Vance in 2024.
    Andrew Yang, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Today, three years since the war started, shelling from Russian drones and artillery from across the Dnipro River — a mere mile away — is the worst yet, according to a CNN report.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 June 2025
  • The Red Sox won that game anyway, 9-3, as Boston shelled Gooden for six runs in five innings.
    Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • In one particularly jarring example, under threat of being unplugged, Anthropic’s latest creation Claude 4 lashed back by blackmailing an engineer and threatened to reveal an extramarital affair.
    Thomas Urbain, Fortune, 29 June 2025
  • The president also lashed out at economists who predicted his administration’s tariffs could cause a recession.
    Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Reaching for the Christ child, batting away evil spirits, grasping after floating words.
    Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
  • Yoshida has not been as promised since signing a $90 million contract two seasons ago, batting .285 with 25 home runs in the last two seasons.
    Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • An Italian meringue involves carefully and slowly drizzling a hot sugar syrup into egg whites while whipping them.
    Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 3 July 2025
  • The comet will also whip by Mars on October 2 at 18 million miles (30 million kilometers) from the red planet.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • The palette is a unique blend of pink, tan, and hints of blue-green that add a subtle amount of color while still hiding dirt and debris.
    Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 26 June 2025
  • Weathered and bumpy, the wall hidden among the surplus clothing stores of the Fashion District was hardly the perfect canvas.
    Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Batter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/batter. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

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