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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to slaughter
to kill on a large scale
the barbarians butchered the monks in the monasteries without mercy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of butcher
Tyler Jett, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The 40,000-square-foot space also features a specialty grocer, a wine cellar, an artisan butcher, a flower shop, and five creative grab-and-go counters.
—Kat Stinson, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Nova — who was working a second job as a delivery driver to provide for his family — had a little more than $100 on him when he was robbed and butchered.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for butcher
Noun
In the early 1950s, as the industry consolidated and farms grew, company leaders rented a butcher shop, covered the walls in brown paper and charged a team of engineers with figuring out how to build higher-horsepower tractors.
—Tyler Jett, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The 40,000-square-foot space also features a specialty grocer, a wine cellar, an artisan butcher, a flower shop, and five creative grab-and-go counters.
—Kat Stinson, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
Holmes would target tourists in town for the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, butcher them, and sell their skeletons to medical schools.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Nova — who was working a second job as a delivery driver to provide for his family — had a little more than $100 on him when he was robbed and butchered.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for butcher
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butcher
Verb
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At Spring Festival, the Chinese New Year, a few pigs would be slaughtered and the pork rationed out.—
Michael Sheridan,
Vanity Fair,
8 Apr. 2026
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Pigs were illegally slaughtered there.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the 88th minute, Neuer fumbled a routine shot and allowed Joselu to equalise.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Fans were exiting en masse in the top of the ninth when Frelick’s RBI single off Rule 5 rookie Ryan Watson, fumbled by reigning AL Gold Glove centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, increased Milwaukee’s lead to three.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Dodgers reached the pinnacle honestly, in a capitalistic structure that properly hands no favors to the incompetent.—
Bruce Jenkins,
San Francisco Chronicle,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Mets, who are a close second to LA with a $370 million payroll and over $500 million due in payments this year thanks to the luxury tax, have now lost 11 straight games after blowing a ninth inning lead to the Cubs on Sunday.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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Matt Strahm struck out the side in the eighth inning, but Erceg allowed three walks and blew a save opportunity.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Nichols was ready to share with jurors his theory of what happened to Kim Langwell the evening she was murdered.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Liquid Death chief Mike Cessario will murder conventional marketing.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Major step forward in the aero-performance category The company completed the initial flight series of the Kratos J85 engine version of the Firejet unmanned aerial system (UAS), dubbed Mk1 Firejet.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
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With a grand opening date set for June 5, construction crews have about six weeks to finish up the $34 million project, now dubbed Clock Tower Landing.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The 49ers Hall of Fame safety had his pinkie mangled on a tackle during a game in 1985, and played with a splint before having the digit amputated after the season.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
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After the game, his face was mangled, with a cut across the bridge of his nose and what looked like a rug burn on his chin.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These tenacious insects discreetly land on your skin, leaving sudden, itchy, and painful bites that can swell and turn red, ruining a perfectly pleasant outdoor evening.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
18 Apr. 2026
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Who knew that an attempt to ruin Iran’s navy and army would result in the demilitarization of the West?—
Rachel Marsden,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Butcher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butcher. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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