1
as in slaughtering
to kill on a large scale
the barbarians butchered the monks in the monasteries without mercy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Normally, that involves making stone tools, butchering deer, or distilling birch tar.
—
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
Newmark warns that the pig-butchering problem is likely to get worse thanks to AI.
—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
People began losing touch with butchering an entire animal, as well as with preparation methods for organ meats.
—
Teresa Mull,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
ProPublica has chronicled the dark world of pig butchering, in which human traffickers in Asia force their victims to scam people by posing as friends or potential romantic interests.
—
Robert Faturechi,
ProPublica,
11 Apr. 2026
While pig butchering operations are veering toward the sophisticated and professional, horrendous abuses persist.
—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
7 Apr. 2026
By butchering the fish in the restaurant, Hanke reduces the amount of time in which the quality of the fish could deteriorate.
—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
25 Mar. 2026
At first, the recruits wonder if this is all part of the big test, though when the machine starts butchering them, the sole survivors realise that something else is up.
—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
11 Mar. 2026
For nearly half a century, Iran has been a thorn in the side of the United States, killing and maiming American soldiers, butchering Israeli citizens, threatening its neighbors and fostering terror around the globe.
—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
Newmark warns that the pig-butchering problem is likely to get worse thanks to AI.
—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
People began losing touch with butchering an entire animal, as well as with preparation methods for organ meats.
—
Teresa Mull,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
ProPublica has chronicled the dark world of pig butchering, in which human traffickers in Asia force their victims to scam people by posing as friends or potential romantic interests.
—
Robert Faturechi,
ProPublica,
11 Apr. 2026
While pig butchering operations are veering toward the sophisticated and professional, horrendous abuses persist.
—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
7 Apr. 2026
By butchering the fish in the restaurant, Hanke reduces the amount of time in which the quality of the fish could deteriorate.
—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
25 Mar. 2026
At first, the recruits wonder if this is all part of the big test, though when the machine starts butchering them, the sole survivors realise that something else is up.
—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
11 Mar. 2026
For nearly half a century, Iran has been a thorn in the side of the United States, killing and maiming American soldiers, butchering Israeli citizens, threatening its neighbors and fostering terror around the globe.
—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butchering
Verb
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Disease had significantly weakened Tenochtitlán’s ability to withstand Cortés’s siege, and the Europeans eventually wore the Aztec warriors down and broke through the city’s defenses, slaughtering the Aztecs and destroying the city.
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Later on, plundering Barbary pirates raided Mallorca, looting possessions, slaughtering inhabitants and capturing others for the slave trade.
Verb
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My first few hours with the EM11 NL were marked by overshooting links, fumbling through simple selections, and occasionally wondering why anyone would voluntarily use a vertical mouse.
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Bennett is concerned, for instance, that Hong could win her primary and then be defeated in November by Republican Tom Tiffany, fumbling the governorship of a swing state into the hands of a far-right Freedom Caucus member who dabbled in 2020 election conspiracy theories.
Verb
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Technically, officials said, blowing past the deadline means Alameda County is no longer in exclusive negotiations with the Oakland Acquisition Company.
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But rather than cede ground to an outsider, the town's residents plant TNT in every single structure, blowing them up before Lassiter can get his hands on them.
Verb
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It’s been over three decades since Wood was convicted of murdering six young women and girls and burying their bodies near El Paso – crimes for which he was nicknamed the Desert Killer.
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Ciarre Campbell, brother of veteran NFL lineman Calais Campbell, has been charged with murdering their 71-year-old mother, Nateal, inside her Atlanta home.
Verb
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Blade grinders function more like blenders, frantically whirring in circles, mangling the beans, and tossing them all over the grinding chamber.
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Where was Michael Hill, the commissioner’s office executive serving as Team USA’s general manager, while his manager was mangling the stakes of the situation?
Verb
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The set is selling quickly, with Wayfair dubbing it a popular product.
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Those efforts went beyond dubbing audio in different languages to include adapting jokes and other details in the script.
Verb
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After all, plenty of cocktail enthusiasts already complain about mosquitoes ruining a summer evening.
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The company was saving a few bucks but ruining its product.
Verb
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Mexican fruit flies are one of the world’s most destructive pests when laying their eggs, destroying or damaging fruit such as apples, grapefruits, avocados, peaches and pears, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
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But Blue Origin suffered a major setback in May when one of its New Glenn rockets abruptly exploded on the launchpad, destroying vital infrastructure that will take months to rebuild.
Cite this Entry
“Butchering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butchering. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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