as in thrashing
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1
as in smacking
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 pounding
to strike repeatedly
a boxer bludgeoning his opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bludgeoning
Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
To start the bludgeoning, Aledo quickly established the run game in its opening drive with runs of 30 and 44 yards — that set up a 9 yard rushing TD from quarterback Lincoln Tubbs.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Dec. 2025
Bates announced on Wednesday that Lively was sentenced after he was found guilty of first-degree murder for the fatal bludgeoning and stabbing of 68-year-old John Hall III in Northwest Baltimore City.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
As the man turns to leave, all of the gates shut, and a bull comes roaring toward the center, bludgeoning the man to death.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026
The day ended Sunderland’s last top-tier stint, a 1-0 defeat confirming relegation and continuing a winless home run which spanned a loyalty-bludgeoning 364 days.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Between the late evening hours Friday night and early morning Saturday, two teenagers and their 21-year-old friend allegedly conspired and carried out a brutal bludgeoning murder in Fruita.
—The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Denver Post, 25 Nov. 2025
Dennis, 53, was convicted of bludgeoning his ex-girlfriend Timwanika Lumpkins and UM linebacker Marlin Barnes to death with a shotgun in 1996.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 21 Nov. 2025
The statement rattles Abbott enough to let his guard down, which is how Nile gets to be on top of him, bludgeoning his head with the back of Abbott’s own gun after strangling him.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Most historians believe Gunness would first poison her suitors, then finish them with an ax or by bludgeoning — afterward dismembering the corpses and burying what remained.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
Governor Andrew Cuomo uses his Attorney General as a bludgeoning tool for his own purposes.
—Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
This game was expected to be a taut preview of the gold-medal game but has turned into a bludgeoning.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
To start the bludgeoning, Aledo quickly established the run game in its opening drive with runs of 30 and 44 yards — that set up a 9 yard rushing TD from quarterback Lincoln Tubbs.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Dec. 2025
Bates announced on Wednesday that Lively was sentenced after he was found guilty of first-degree murder for the fatal bludgeoning and stabbing of 68-year-old John Hall III in Northwest Baltimore City.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Verb
The 12-30 Nets have lost 11 of their last 13, including a 120-66 bludgeoning against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
As the man turns to leave, all of the gates shut, and a bull comes roaring toward the center, bludgeoning the man to death.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026
The day ended Sunderland’s last top-tier stint, a 1-0 defeat confirming relegation and continuing a winless home run which spanned a loyalty-bludgeoning 364 days.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Between the late evening hours Friday night and early morning Saturday, two teenagers and their 21-year-old friend allegedly conspired and carried out a brutal bludgeoning murder in Fruita.
—The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Denver Post, 25 Nov. 2025
Dennis, 53, was convicted of bludgeoning his ex-girlfriend Timwanika Lumpkins and UM linebacker Marlin Barnes to death with a shotgun in 1996.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 21 Nov. 2025
The statement rattles Abbott enough to let his guard down, which is how Nile gets to be on top of him, bludgeoning his head with the back of Abbott’s own gun after strangling him.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Most historians believe Gunness would first poison her suitors, then finish them with an ax or by bludgeoning — afterward dismembering the corpses and burying what remained.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
Governor Andrew Cuomo uses his Attorney General as a bludgeoning tool for his own purposes.
—Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeoning
Noun
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Stevenson played his best game in the Pats’ regular-season finale, a 38-10 thrashing of Miami.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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And, the 56-22 CFP semifinal Peach Bowl thrashing of Oregon began with Ponds’ interception return for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Shepard attached the head of a 6-iron golf club to his sample collecting tool and was recorded smacking a couple golf balls across the lunar landscape.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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In his defense, Barnett took the stand to say there was no murder plot and that Thomas extorted him for the money using physical violence – knocking out his teeth, injured his left shoulder, and smacking his private parts.—
Sydney Pereira,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Dozens of flights between the East Coast and Los Angeles International Airport were cancelled Monday morning due to the blizzard that is pounding a large swath of the nation’s Eastern Seaboard.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
23 Feb. 2026
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In the meantime, Sarandos has been pounding the drum of more Paramount pain to come.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Baupost Group’s Seth Klarman picked up Amazon in the fourth quarter, a bet that has yet to work out for the value investor this year as tech stocks take a hammering.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2026
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At Anitra Coulter Blunt's Cedar Park home, the hammering and sawing is music to this musician's ears.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Ultimately, in Europe, giving the green light will be up to the EU’s antitrust chief, Teresa Ribeira, who has been slapping hefty fines lately on Google and Elon Musk’s X for breaching European Union rules.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2026
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Vacuum The Cushions For dusty sofas, start by taking the cushions outside and slapping them to release debris and dust.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Son disappeared from public view, licking his wounds while also plotting his comeback.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
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Messi’s complaints were wafer-thin after a 3-0 licking by LAFC, but that didn’t stop him from venting hard in this video captured by a Mexican journalist after the final whistle.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But Beshear hasn’t turned Trump-bashing into a 24/7 vocation, or a weight-lifting contest where the winner is the critic wielding the heaviest bludgeon.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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Powell, known for a cool head and a quiet demeanor, has consistently avoided direct confrontations with Trump, even as the president's personal displeasure with the Fed chair escalated from behind the scenes pressure to public bashing.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Six Longhorns scored in the first quarter, which ended with Georgia native Bryanna Preston hitting a pull-up jumper at the buzzer.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Feb. 2026
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Everyone’s hitting, banging bodies.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bludgeoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeoning. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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