as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
a farmer armed with a cudgel drove us off his land
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to bludgeon
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cudgel
Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Children are both a key motivator and cudgel for these men.
—Grace Byron, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Before long, fairs had such attractions as cudgelling bouts, bearbaiting, and something called gouging.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for cudgel
Noun
The House spending bill would use that power as a cudgel, halting congressional approval of FASB’s budget (see page 108) until the accounting agency repeals its new disclosure rules.
—Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Children are both a key motivator and cudgel for these men.
—Grace Byron, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
Hitler exploited his 37% to gridlock legislative processes, to cudgel or crush the political opposition, and ultimately to undermine the country’s democratic structures.
—Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Before long, fairs had such attractions as cudgelling bouts, bearbaiting, and something called gouging.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for cudgel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cudgel
Noun
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Of course, Philly’s historic cobblestone streets, narrow alleyways and uneven sidewalks aren’t wheelchair- or cane-friendly, and are a challenge for people with mobility limitations.—
Laura Baehr,
The Conversation,
6 Jan. 2026
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In videos widely shared to social media, Joel is seen looking thin, walking on stage with the help of a cane, a sign of his condition, a neurological disorder called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Others, like Eberhardt, were bludgeoned.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
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Soon after San Diego Chargers owner Alex Spanos got over his own ego and paid up to hire him as the general manager, Beathard began to build upon ex-Raiders talent man Steve Ortmayer’s effort to build an AFC team that could bludgeon the likes of the Steelers, Raiders and Broncos.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
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That performance included baton twirlers and horses galloping through the crowd.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
-
People have decided who is going to be the next person, and then just passing down the baton.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Pellegrino, a 6-foot-3 forward who’s nearly devoid of body fat and brims with energy, clouted the ball out the air for the third goal and ran toward the supporters section, raising the crowd’s volume.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Nov. 2025
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The recall was widely seen as a litmus test for how much clout the national conservative group can wield in non-partisan local politics.—
Maritza Dominguez,
AZCentral.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Vernikov also assailed Mamdani's revocation of an Adams order that regulated protests at houses of worship.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
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DeSantis has continued his call to slash property taxes in the state, a proposal that Democrats have assailed as an unnecessary move that could threaten the delivery of basic local services.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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To speed up the decomposition process in the compost pile, chop the plants into small pieces and tear apart the soil mass.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Nov. 2025
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As for Quavo himself, the Atlanta rapper recently chopped it up with Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young for Billboard and The Player Tribune’s first episode of their Switching Stages video series.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Diaz obliged, but not before smacking an unlucky onlooker with a wayward first attempt, above.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
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Often, though, the clutter is the point, and you’re smacked with temperamental textures that channel the flippant streak of plunderphonics.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rasmus Dahlin and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen weren’t on the same page playing a puck behind the net, and Mavrik Bourque whacked a rebound in with Dahlin as the closest Sabre in coverage.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
1 Jan. 2026
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Even where verification was mandated, such as in Taiwan and Singapore, Meta’s systems showed a whack-a-mole effect.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cudgel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cudgel. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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