bludgeons 1 of 2

noun

plural of bludgeon
as in batons
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound

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bludgeons

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bludgeon
1
as in slaps
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 licks
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 bludgeons
Noun
There’s Xi Jinping mogging Bibi Netanyahu while deafeningly aggro phonk bludgeons away; hype montages paint Marx as history’s greatest theorist and pair Zohran Mamdani quotes with Playboi Carti Die Lit cuts. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
Lo then bludgeons Richard in the head with a metal pipe and kills him. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeons
  1. batons
  2. slaps
  3. licks
  4. canes
  5. smacks
  6. whips
  7. knocks
  8. hides
Noun
  • Authorities are evaluating whether the use of batons and police dogs was excessive.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Last week, at least 50 people, including 19 police personnel, were injured after police used tear gas, water cannons and batons to disperse garment workers demanding unpaid wages and higher pay in Dhaka’s Uttara area.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of batons
Verb
  • Someone slaps a strip of medical tape across their lips, promises you deeper sleep, fewer snores and a sharper jawline by morning, then cuts to a dreamy sunrise shot.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As the child puts his hands up, Bible says Campbell slaps them away, then drags him off the field.
    — Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of slaps
Verb
  • That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand.
    — Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of licks
Noun
  • Light trimming, staking and tying Damaged canes make roses more susceptible to disease.
    — Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
  • For sighted individuals, the exhibits help provide context to the experiences of others, like an area with canes used by the blind on different types of flooring.
    — Caroline Eubanks, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of canes
Verb
  • And there’s rarely time to digest one controversy before the next one comes barreling down the road and smacks us in the mouth.
    — Bernard Goldberg, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In a fight with yet more mercenaries, Reacher smacks a gun out of a guy’s hand using one of Philadelphia’s moving subway trains.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of smacks
Verb
  • Shutters bang, screen doors slam; the wind whips them all into a frenzy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Paddling along the shoreline of a small lake in the wilderness, as pine and spruce trees hover over the dark water’s edge and the wind whips waves against the canoe, a human knows her place.
    — Story Hinckley, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of whips
Verb
  • The move knocks the financier’s voting power in Liberty down from 48% to 3%, and no holder of Liberty Media common stock now holds more than 9% of voting power.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The loss knocks the Hornets, who have high expectations for this season, to a 3-6 start.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of knocks
Verb
  • While the fabric is satin, the black color hides stains effortlessly.
    — Anna Traver, InStyle, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The malicious software hides inside the phone's firmware, giving attackers powerful access that ordinary apps never receive.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of hides

Browse Nearby Words

bludgeoning
bludgeons
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Cite this Entry

“Bludgeons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeons. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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