Synonyms of butcher

butcher 1 of 2

noun

ˈbu̇-chər 

as in blunderer

someone who bungles an effort

the newest intern on the campaign is a butcher when it comes to writing press releases

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blunderer
• incompetent
• bungler
• blunderbuss
• bumbler
• botcher
• screwup
• fumbler
• muddler

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• master
• expert
• virtuoso
• maestro
• wizard
• ace
• adept
• crackerjack

butcher

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to slaughter

to kill on a large scale

the barbarians butchered the monks in the monasteries without mercy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slaughter
• massacre
• murder
• slay
• assassinate
• dispatch
• execute
• destroy
• mow (down)
• smite
• fell
• wipe out
• eradicate
• exterminate
• demolish
• waste
• snuff
• annihilate
• decimate
• blot out
• croak
• do in
• devastate

2

as in to fumble

to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way

the new piano student butchered the sonatina

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fumble
• blow
• murder
• dub
• mangle
• ruin
• boot
• botch
• destroy
• bungle
• screw up
• spoil
• muff
• foul up
• goof (up)
• boggle
• fluff
• muck up
• bumble
• flub
• mutilate
• mar
• injure
• wreck
• damage
• foozle
• bugger (up)
• louse up
• bobble
• gum (up)
• mess (up)
• blunder
• bollix (up)
• hurt
• flaw
• muddle
• harm
• impair
• blemish
• blight
• vitiate
• piffle
• mismanage
• mishandle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• better
• help
• improve
• reform
• enhance
• refine
• remedy
• rectify
• ameliorate
• patch
• repair
• fix
• renovate
• meliorate
• doctor
• revamp
• recondition

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of butcher

Noun

Durant's Steakhouse At Durant’s Steakhouse in Phoenix, the Chef’s Cut Hanging Bacon at Durant’s begins with premium, generously thick cut Colorado Farms bacon, hand cut each day by master butchers. — Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

It was constructed in 1897 as part of the area’s military campus, and over time was used as an army depot, a butcher shop, an animal-feed store and a mailroom. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Verb

Elephants are widely adored by many people today — but a recent study suggests early humans were butchering them for survival nearly 2 million years ago. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026

With more than 3 billion users, WhatsApp is among the largest areas of scam activity, like wire transfers and pig butchering scams. — Stevie Bonifield, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2026