1
as in smacked
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
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2
as in pounded
to strike repeatedly
a boxer bludgeoning his opponent
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Recent Examples of bludgeoned
Grippo bludgeoned Casado to death, delivering multiple blows with the makeshift weapon and fleeing before police arrived.
—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2025
She was bludgeoned and strangled to death in the basement of her family's Boulder home in 1996.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
Her daughter, Martha Moxley, was found bludgeoned and fatally stabbed with a golf club in the backyard of her family’s home in Greenwich’s tony Belle Haven neighborhood on Halloween 1975.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 27 Dec. 2024
Several hours later, she was found dead in her own home – bludgeoned and strangled.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024
Under Osborne and Devaney, the ’Husker offensive line battered, brutalized and bludgeoned opponents into submission.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Dec. 2024
The body of 17-year-old Esther Gonzalez was found dumped in packed snow off Highway 243 in Banning, California, in 1979, and after an investigation, detectives determined the teen had been raped and bludgeoned to death.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 25 Nov. 2024
She was attacked during her walk, raped and bludgeoned to death, authorities said.
—Jordan D. Brown, CNN, 24 Nov. 2024
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2025
She was bludgeoned and strangled to death in the basement of her family's Boulder home in 1996.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
Her daughter, Martha Moxley, was found bludgeoned and fatally stabbed with a golf club in the backyard of her family’s home in Greenwich’s tony Belle Haven neighborhood on Halloween 1975.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 27 Dec. 2024
Several hours later, she was found dead in her own home – bludgeoned and strangled.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024
Under Osborne and Devaney, the ’Husker offensive line battered, brutalized and bludgeoned opponents into submission.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Dec. 2024
The body of 17-year-old Esther Gonzalez was found dumped in packed snow off Highway 243 in Banning, California, in 1979, and after an investigation, detectives determined the teen had been raped and bludgeoned to death.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 25 Nov. 2024
She was attacked during her walk, raped and bludgeoned to death, authorities said.
—Jordan D. Brown, CNN, 24 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeoned
Verb
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August 27 - Wilmer Flores and Matt Chapman smacked home runs, Heliot Ramos collected three hits and the San Francisco Giants rewarded Justin Verlander with a second win of the season in a 5-2 home victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.—
Field Level Media,
Reuters,
27 Aug. 2025
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Lutkenhaus smacked Moser’s hand, and then gave him a hug.—
Cory Mull,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Predictably, there’s lots of fighting in The Smashing Machine, including plenty of that knee-to-the-face business, though the sound design is often more disturbing than the visuals; the sound of flesh giving way as it’s being pounded like a piece of meat just feels inhumane.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
1 Sep. 2025
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In recent days, Israel pounded Gaza City, while strikes killed Hamas’ military spokesperson and the Houthis’ prime minister in Yemen.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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During the stream, Kardashian tagged along for Cenat's noodle game — basically, a challenge where the influencer and his friends take turns hitting each other on the head with pool noodles while participants wear helmets and don't know which of their peers slapped them from behind.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The tariffs affected by Friday’s ruling were implemented by Trump this year under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and slapped duties as high as 50% on imports from some countries.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The afternoon sun licked the windscreen of the car, and the heat boiled my skin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
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Paul Volcker, the chair of the Federal Reserve at the time, had licked inflation, and the stock market was rising after seventeen years of going sideways.—
L. David Marquet,
Big Think,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Beach, 46, was arrested for DWI-felony serious injury, possession of drug paraphernalia, hit and run/leave scene, reckless driving and failure to maintain lane.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Every Dodger in the starting lineup had at least one hit on a night when there were 18 to go around.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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These two hurricanes come after Hurricane Erin lashed North Carolina's Outer Banks with rough waves and coastal flooding last month.—
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
4 Sep. 2025
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Some liberal commentators, however, have lashed out in response to the shooting, saying calls for prayer are tone deaf responses given the victims were inside a church.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In the suburbs during the 2020 and 2022 assessment cycles, appeals to the board of review generally knocked commercial values below industry standards for accuracy.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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The boys knocked on Leon’s door several times and ran away, Julián’s cousin told police.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The actress whipped out some ballerina dance moves to ensure each pair was still comfortable enough for any and all activities.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
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This mordant delight — about two young men who befriend one another in a support group for people who’ve lost a twin — whipped the Eccles theater into a frenzy with its cuttingly dark laughs and unexpected plot twists.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bludgeoned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeoned. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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