as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to slap
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
remodelers bludgeoned the wall with a sledgehammer to join the two rooms
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
a boxer bludgeoning his opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 bludgeon
Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2025
Related article Holocaust becomes political bludgeon as Netanyahu returns to a country at crossroads
Dekel-Chen was 35 years old when he was kidnapped while trying to defend his Nir Oz from Hamas attackers.
—Dana Karni, Ibrahim Dahman and Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 14 Feb. 2025
Dan Ruetenik, CBS News, 10 June 2025
He was bludgeoned to death by Lyle earlier in the episode after finding Merritt.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bludgeon
Noun
Mishra then abruptly juxtaposes a scene from Gaza, flush with heavy-handed language that bludgeons home his comparison.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2025
Related article Holocaust becomes political bludgeon as Netanyahu returns to a country at crossroads
Dekel-Chen was 35 years old when he was kidnapped while trying to defend his Nir Oz from Hamas attackers.
—Dana Karni, Ibrahim Dahman and Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
Vogel's cellmate is accused of bludgeoning him with a drainage cover before stabbing him with a shard of glass from a broken television, killing the 39-year-old one day before his scheduled release in August 2024.
—Dan Ruetenik, CBS News, 10 June 2025
He was bludgeoned to death by Lyle earlier in the episode after finding Merritt.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bludgeon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeon
Noun
-
If consumed in excess, both cane and high-fructose corn syrup, like all sugars, can carry negative health effects including weight gain, diabetes and heart disease.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
18 July 2025
-
Countries ranging from South America to Europe and Asia more commonly use sucrose, derived from cane or beet sugar, in Coca-Cola.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 July 2025
Verb
-
In recent days, Trump has slapped tariffs of at least 20% set to begin Aug. 1 on more than a dozen countries.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
-
Canada previously retaliated against tariffs with levies on U.S. goods, slapping tariffs on $20.7 billion of goods in March as well as 25% tariffs on non-USMCA compliant autos in April.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
The Boston Celtics are still licking their wounds following the heartbreaking end to the 2024-25 NBA season.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
-
And Lil Wayne agrees by licking my face, which is part of the job description for companion dogs.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Juice takes the baton and continues his journey to hopefully discovering inner-peace.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
11 July 2025
-
Sangay, who took up the baton as the political leader of the exiled government, said that by making the transition to democracy the Dalai Lama wanted to ensure Tibetans can run the movement and the government on their own, even after he is gone.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
The Padres took a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a one-out single, moved to third on a single by Luis Arraez and scored on a sacrifice fly by Machado.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 July 2025
-
While hitting 350 homers is a feat in itself, Judge reached the mark more quickly than former slugger Mark McGwire.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
That first flight on April 28, 2021, was deep within the COVID-19 pandemic that pounded the airline industry.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
-
Play was suspended a couple of times because of severe weather, the occasional pounding rain and possibly lightning.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
Though Trump has deployed Vance on multiple foreign tours through their first 100 days in office, where the vice president has served as a messaging cudgel touting Trump’s isolationist foreign policy, the president himself is yet to take a trip overseas.—
Christian Datoc,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Apr. 2025
-
The Trump administration has been using federal research funding as a cudgel.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
In 1648, a group of English Puritans set sail from Bermuda to avoid religious persecution only to smack into Devil’s Backbone reef.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
9 July 2025
-
Standing all of 4-foot-5 and weighing 63 pounds, Indie-Reign routinely smacks the ball about 170 yards off the tee.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bludgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeon. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share