as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of bludgeon
Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 20 Nov. 2025
Antiquated federal bureaucracy, bewildering jurisdictional rules and burdensome state taxation bludgeon the spirit of enterprise on tribal lands.
—Adam Crepelle, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2025
Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
Whenever the real Rhodes was bludgeoned in the ring (his injuries themselves feigned as part of pro wrestling’s playacting), the fake one came to Theresa with his medical bills.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bludgeon
Noun
But in the months leading up to the vote, the topic increasingly turned into a political bludgeon and partisan blame game.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 20 Nov. 2025
Antiquated federal bureaucracy, bewildering jurisdictional rules and burdensome state taxation bludgeon the spirit of enterprise on tribal lands.
—Adam Crepelle, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2025
Verb
In 1993, Sperino was bludgeoned to death and her body was dumped in a field in unincorporated Granite City, Illinois.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
Whenever the real Rhodes was bludgeoned in the ring (his injuries themselves feigned as part of pro wrestling’s playacting), the fake one came to Theresa with his medical bills.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bludgeon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeon
Noun
-
Four were fishing with cane poles from a rickety dock.—
Byron W. Dalrymple,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
-
They can also be seen around mountains, swamps, cane thickets, wooded stream corridors, and rural habitats.—
Jack Armstrong,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Home plate umpire Dan Iassogna called a third strike, but Madrigal argued with the umpire, emphatically slapping his head.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
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Rojas slapped a single up the middle to put the Royals ahead.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Verb
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When the tiffin is returned licked clean, Ila sends another meal but with a note, leading to a rich correspondence between the two.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
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Just outside the room, Hadley eagerly licked it up.—
Laura Ungar,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
Noun
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According to the complaint, the same ICE officer had hit Scelfo twice in the leg with a baton during a physical altercation.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
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To help pass the baton to new leaders more smoothly, businesses could think about giving younger leaders strategic responsibility earlier in their careers, supporting senior leaders to act in a coaching or sponsor capacity, or pushing more decisions to frontline teams and their managers.—
David Morel,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The Rockies’ Kyle Karros hit an opposite-field line drive that carried to the right-field warning track, but Lee tracked down the potential extra-base hit on the run, then crashed into the chain-link portion of the fence.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
30 May 2026
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The hitting coaches have been really emphasizing it.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Verb
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The Israeli military early Thursday pounded Lebanon’s fourth largest city, killing at least 14 people across the south of the country in its ongoing military escalation against the Hezbollah group ahead of crucial talks in Washington.—
Kyla Guilfoil,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
-
Fighter jets roared overhead, and air strikes pounded the surrounding hillsides, sending up thick plumes of acrid smoke.—
Euan Ward,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Judges, attorneys, guardians and other court professionals have repeatedly used custody as a cudgel, according to some family court attorneys and advocates, punishing parents for their conduct by limiting their access to their children.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
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Linda wields her absolute power over Bradley like a cudgel, exploiting his helplessness to emotionally abuse and manipulate him.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 May 2026
Verb
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The shot smacked off the front of the rim.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
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Ben Williamson then smacked a ball to the right side that went off the glove of first baseman Spencer Torkelson, allowing Mullins and Fortes to score.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bludgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeon. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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