1
as in slaughtered
to kill on a large scale
the barbarians butchered the monks in the monasteries without mercy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in fumbled
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 butchered
Now sixty-five, Petro is a survivor of a brutal era in which the Colombian state assassinated leftist leaders and butchered their followers, in an effort to quell the country’s Marxist guerrilla forces.
—
Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2026
Because the puppies were found near a site where ancient humans had butchered woolly mammoths, researchers had wondered whether they might be domesticated dogs, as opposed to wolves.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 14 Jan. 2026
Bavette is known for its high-quality meats sourced from small producers and butchered in-house.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Late in the second period, the Blue Jackets, still leading 4-1, continually butchered the puck in their own zone, almost presenting it to the Penguins as an offering.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
At the time that the cut was identified, researchers proposed that the mark proved that First Peoples butchered ancient megafauna.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Multiple other locations in central Italy have butchered elephant remains, small stone tools, and larger modified bones.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 Oct. 2025
Reese tried that one, too, but butchered it when his lean came well into the end zone.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025
That is to say, more chickens are bred and butchered each year than there are alive at this very moment in time.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2026
Because the puppies were found near a site where ancient humans had butchered woolly mammoths, researchers had wondered whether they might be domesticated dogs, as opposed to wolves.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 14 Jan. 2026
Bavette is known for its high-quality meats sourced from small producers and butchered in-house.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Late in the second period, the Blue Jackets, still leading 4-1, continually butchered the puck in their own zone, almost presenting it to the Penguins as an offering.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
At the time that the cut was identified, researchers proposed that the mark proved that First Peoples butchered ancient megafauna.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Multiple other locations in central Italy have butchered elephant remains, small stone tools, and larger modified bones.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 Oct. 2025
Reese tried that one, too, but butchered it when his lean came well into the end zone.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025
That is to say, more chickens are bred and butchered each year than there are alive at this very moment in time.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butchered
Verb
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In September, at least 89 Christians were reportedly slaughtered by jihadists at a funeral and in surrounding fields.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
28 Dec. 2025
-
That premonition rings true when his parents (Tara Buckman, Geoff Hansen) are slaughtered by a carjacker dressed as Old Saint Nick himself (Charles Dierkop) just hours later, condemning the toddler into further moral compass trauma at an orphanage run by a domineering Mother Superior nun from Hell.—
Huntley Woods,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Ball security The Hurricanes have fumbled the ball four times in the past two games and lost two of them — one apiece by Malachi Toney (first round against Texas A&M) and Fletcher (quarterfinal against Ohio State).—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Kennedy fumbled in his pocket and pulled out his phone, the source of the noise.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As the curtain came down, Hilty waved and blew kisses to the crowd.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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LaFleur has one year remaining on his contract, and his job status came into question after the Packers blew an 18-point fourth-quarter lead in Saturday night’s 31-27 playoff loss to the Chicago Bears.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In 2017, for instance, prosecutors in Contra Costa overcame an insanity defense by William Shultz, who murdered a 9-year-old Discovery Bay boy during a sleepover and blamed it on a delusion about an impending World War III.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Three women are murdered in Dahlonega, Georgia, and the six episodes are all about the search for the culprit.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Two weeks after Alt’s ankle was mangled, depriving Herbert of his blindside protector, the quarterback and the offense came a cropper in a 30-6 blowout at Jacksonville in mid-November.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
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In all three crashes, police noted the guardrail was either already mangled or down.—
Liz Crawford,
CBS News,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The company aims to scale up its distribution footprint and leverage its physical stores — dubbed Alo Sanctuaries — not just as transactional spaces but hubs for community-building experiences.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
10 Jan. 2026
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But this week, the unwelcome house guest, dubbed Yellow 2120 by researchers, finally got his formal eviction notice.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The library where generations prepared for their bar and bat mitzvahs was ruined, as was an administrative office.—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
14 Jan. 2026
-
That they will be personally ruined for doing honest work.—
Dave Myers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Palisades fire killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 structures, becoming the third-most destructive fire in state history.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Jan. 2026
-
One year after the Palisades Fire leveled entire neighborhoods and destroyed thousands of homes, one Malibu resident is stepping up to help rebuild his community with his architectural expertise.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Butchered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butchered. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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