1
as in slaughtering
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 fumbling
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 butchering
The artifacts included thimbles, a needle remnant and buttons — in addition to animal bones that showed signs of butchering.
—
Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
But there’s only one way to get good at butchering, and that’s to do a bunch of it each fall — and follow these tips.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 28 Aug. 2025
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bushmeat has the potential to spread diseases like Ebola due to hunting, butchering, and processing meat from infected animals.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Jarrett Stidham’s preseason stats, after another night spent butchering another second-team defense, are Madden Career Mode-worthy.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
This pattern of alterations appears to be most consistent with butchering and not injuries sustained during fighting or a victor removing a body part as a trophy.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025
Calio artifacts The Calio artifacts are small, sharp flakes, the kind of tools early humans would have used for tasks like butchering animals or processing plants.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2025
Just as pig butchering schemes migrated to the US in 2021, some believe these digital arrest deepfake scams will migrate in 2025.
—Frank McKenna, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Analysis of the more than 3,000 bones has suggested that unidentified assailants violently killed at least 37 men, women and children before butchering and cannibalizing their victims between 2210 and 2010 BC at a site called Charterhouse Warren, which is located in Somerset.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
But there’s only one way to get good at butchering, and that’s to do a bunch of it each fall — and follow these tips.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 28 Aug. 2025
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bushmeat has the potential to spread diseases like Ebola due to hunting, butchering, and processing meat from infected animals.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Jarrett Stidham’s preseason stats, after another night spent butchering another second-team defense, are Madden Career Mode-worthy.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
This pattern of alterations appears to be most consistent with butchering and not injuries sustained during fighting or a victor removing a body part as a trophy.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025
Calio artifacts The Calio artifacts are small, sharp flakes, the kind of tools early humans would have used for tasks like butchering animals or processing plants.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2025
Just as pig butchering schemes migrated to the US in 2021, some believe these digital arrest deepfake scams will migrate in 2025.
—Frank McKenna, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Analysis of the more than 3,000 bones has suggested that unidentified assailants violently killed at least 37 men, women and children before butchering and cannibalizing their victims between 2210 and 2010 BC at a site called Charterhouse Warren, which is located in Somerset.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butchering
Verb
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Some discussed potential restrictions included the ban of roosters, the ban of slaughtering chickens and requirements around upkeep.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Sep. 2025
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These small banks are slaughtering the low expectations the market set for them.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But Henry hasn’t made a habit of fumbling throughout his career, so this is an unusual stretch.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
26 Sep. 2025
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The uncharacteristic nature of fumbling the ball three times in a row is not lost on the star running back.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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He and his apprentices host glass- blowing classes on Fridays and Saturdays (reservation required), when guests can make anything from a bowl to a tumbler to an ornament.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
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Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The session proceeded without a live video-feed of the 22-year-old defendant charged with murdering the conservative influencer at a Utah college campus on September 10, alongside counts of felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction, and witness tampering.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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Then, in 2024, Gates and Richard James Romano were both charged with murdering Alliauna Green, a rising Oakland rapper who used the stage name Tan DaGod.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When Jets safety Malachi Moore went to tackle Hill, the wideout’s leg got caught underneath him, mangling the appendage in the process.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The soap's sensual marketing theme earned mixed reactions on social media, with some users dubbing it a gimmick and questioning the item's cleanliness.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Think visual effects, dubbing and storyboarding.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Doing so could compromise the slight taper at the hem, ruining the silhouette.—
Shea Simmons,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
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Car designers love them for not ruining the lines of the door with the necessities of real life, but is the benefit from drag reduction worth the safety risk?—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Since then, the Internet has gone about its immemorial business of destroying all incumbent forms of media; not content with vampirizing print, the digital space began sucking the life from pay-TV a dozen years ago.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Critics say returning the company without meaningful payment undercuts accountability and the compensatory purpose of the judgments; others note trustees and Judge Lopez have to avoid value-destroying, prolonged processes.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Butchering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butchering. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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