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bludgeon 1 of 2

noun

ˈblə-jən How to pronounce bludgeon (audio)
Definition of bludgeonnext
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound

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bludgeon

2 of 2

verb

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

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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
Noun
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 Mamdani’s critics, of course, quickly turned the word into a bludgeon. — John M. Crisp, Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2025
Verb
The sound stage felt bludgeoned into submission throughout, as the intense distortion of bass, percussion and guitars made the instrument separation within the mix almost inaudible. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026 So, what was once a pretty harsh ride that tended to skip sideways in bumpy corners, bludgeon yours and your passenger’s spine and kidneys, and remind you what terror and despair really are, is now gone. — New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bludgeon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeon
  1. cane
  2. slap
  3. lick
  4. baton
  5. hit
  6. pound
  7. cudgel
  8. smack
Noun
  • Choose 3-6 strong, healthy, outside canes per plant to keep and leave 3-5 buds on each cane.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Brazil’s ethanol pivot and India’s sugar imports Higher energy prices are also making ethanol more attractive relative to sugar in Brazil, where mills can shift cane between the two products.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of cane
Verb
  • The film ends with Sally and Gary happily in love, which begs a question that’s been gestating for 28 years — doesn’t that slap him with a death sentence?
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Apple has now discontinued the older 17 Pro models and slapped $100 price hikes on all other existing models, including the regular iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17e.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of slap
Verb
  • There was the physician who analyzed the growth rate of his fingernails for 35 years and the geologist who looked into why his colleagues lick rocks.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2026
  • An ancient Nazi scientist (Dan Stevens) crawling across a carpet to lick a woman’s stilettoed foot.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • The military said Chinese coast guard personnel aboard a motorboat repeatedly struck the sailor on the head with a wooden baton, injuring him and damaging his smaller vessel.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Mallorie Sullivan here, taking the Daily Briefing baton from Nicole Fallert.
    — Mallorie Sullivan, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of baton
Verb
  • If the Sabres can find some more success with the man advantage, Thompson shouldn’t have much trouble hitting the 40-goal mark again.
    — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Japan's 10-year government bond yield recently breached 3%, hitting a high not seen in roughly 30 years.
    — , CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of hit
Verb
  • With styles rooted in Texas, Kansas City, North Carolina and Memphis, barbecue often elicits table-pounding opinions.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Russian overnight strikes also pounded western Ukraine, though there were no immediate reports of casualties.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of pound
Noun
  • Just the mere threat of a False Claims Act investigation is a powerful cudgel, lawyers have said.
    — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • While lawmakers have mostly thrown their backing behind the bill, some are wary of granting the president even more leeway to impose import taxes as a foreign policy cudgel.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
Definition of cudgel
Verb
  • Ultimately, they were shouted down, most notably by the men who’d be told to don helmets and shoulder pads and smack one another into submission.
    — Michael Silver, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Suddenly a fan favorite in New York again, Volpe smacked a grand slam and drove in a career-high five runs during his rousing return from Triple-A as the Yankees beat the Colorado Rockies 10-3 on Thursday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of smack

Browse Nearby Words

bludged
bludgeon
bludgeoned
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Cite this Entry

“Bludgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeon. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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