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

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
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
Glossip was convicted and sentenced to death in the killing of his former boss, Barry Van Treese, who owned the Oklahoma City motel where Glossip worked and died after being bludgeoned with a baseball bat, according to court filings. — CBS News, 24 June 2026 The Cubs have won seven of their last 10 after bludgeoning Kodai Senga on Tuesday, but fate keeps depleting them; their starter, Edward Cabrera, left the game on a cart with a hamstring/adductor strain. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 24 June 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
  • His son, Henry, went on to bankroll dormitories on Molokai, using a fortune founded on sugar cane.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • This could be an A-frame structure of bamboo canes or wigwams.
    — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 18 July 2026
Definition of cane
Verb
  • But when their panel ended, the sports stars got into a heated exchange that ended with Brady slapping Paul in the face.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 18 July 2026
  • Helmut Haller, West Germany vs England, 1966 Ray Wilson misjudges his headed clearance, Haller gathers it on the edge of the box and, just before Bobby Moore can close him down, slaps a right-footed shot into the far corner.
    — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of slap
Verb
  • Grande licked one of them, and fans were immediately outraged by the moment.
    — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 16 July 2026
  • Some of the flames come close to licking the glass, as the wildfire blows across the tracks.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 15 July 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • In one case reviewed by The Marshall Project, an incarcerated man reported being pepper-sprayed, choked, beaten with a baton and repeatedly called racial slurs by Kentucky officers who were later convicted.
    — Christie Thompson, NPR, 13 July 2026
  • In 1979, de Halden accepted an invitation to take up the baton of festival head at the Berlin Film Festival, leaving his wife to lead Nyon with his support until 1993.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 July 2026
Definition of baton
Verb
  • As thousands of professors at in the University of California system say the students entering their classrooms are increasingly under-prepared for university-level math, the university’s timely graduation rates just hit all-time highs.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
  • Average daily rates in Miami hit $302 for both game nights and eves, according to AirDNA.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
Definition of hit
Verb
  • In IconArrows pointing outwards RANDOM, BUT INTERESTING Russia’s energy infrastructure continues to get pounded by Ukrainian drones.
    — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Vargas pounded a monster second-deck home run in the eighth inning that turned into this game’s only extra-base hit — by either team.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of pound
Noun
  • Politicians on the right, from Bailey to Trump, have frequently used Illinois’ move to eliminate money bond as a cudgel against Democrats, blaming Chicago’s violent crime on the change.
    — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026
  • Their dynamic is instead a cudgel to beat the film into an even more revolting shape.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 10 July 2026
Definition of cudgel
Verb
  • Heavy raindrops flew sideways, smacking against the hood of my rain jacket and creating a nearly deafening white noise.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026
  • The Tampa Bay Rays third baseman smacked a 463-foot whopper late last month.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of smack

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Cite this Entry

“Bludgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeon. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bludgeon for Spanish Speakers

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