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
However, the miniature accessories didn’t seem to stop a group of humans from felling and butchering the elephant.
—
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 Oct. 2025
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
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
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 Oct. 2025
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
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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However, his key mistakes included an interception, being sacked six times, and fumbling the ball away twice.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
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There is no right moment, and the early scenes are about fumbling steps and the tentativeness of awkward new roles.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
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The blowing skirt shot became the key ad image for the film.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Kohberger, 30, was sentenced in July to four consecutive life prison terms for murdering the four U of I undergraduates in Moscow in November 2022.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Oct. 2025
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Soon after, the viewer meets Speck (Tobias Jelinek), notorious for murdering eight nursing students at a house outside Chicago in the late 1960s.—
Elizabeth Yuko,
Rolling Stone,
8 Oct. 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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Packages of flying tortillas thrown at the wrong time, or pocket knives, would only hurt a reputation that Texas Tech has worked doggedly to change and show that the Red Raiders are at home on a national stage, and not the crazy drunk uncle ruining a holiday.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Oct. 2025
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Since 2021, Spotify has offered an alternative app for kids to listen to music without ruining their parents recommendations.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The county was also heavily affected by the 2021 floods that swept most of Middle Tennessee, with high waters washing away multiple roads and even destroying a church in the Pinewood community, according to previous Tennessean reporting.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
10 Oct. 2025
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Just two years earlier, devastating floods swept through Middle Tennessee, damaging infrastructure and destroying a church in Pinewood.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Butchering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butchering. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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