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
Relevance
as in to bludgeon
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cudgel
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
Stacey Abrams, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
Yes, Christian ska: Sprung from a small subgenre within a narrow musical niche, Five Iron Frenzy are longtime favorites among fans of Christian ska, singing songs filled with indignation about how faith has been used as a cudgel for greed and prejudice.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cudgel
Noun
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
Verb
Mass firings of civil servants, the dismissal of government watchdogs, the weaponization of the military against our citizens, the use of the national budget as a cudgel, and the dehumanization of immigrants.
—Stacey Abrams, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
Yes, Christian ska: Sprung from a small subgenre within a narrow musical niche, Five Iron Frenzy are longtime favorites among fans of Christian ska, singing songs filled with indignation about how faith has been used as a cudgel for greed and prejudice.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cudgel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cudgel
Noun
-
Cover the pot and the bottom few inches of the rose canes with soil, then add a layer of mulch for insulation.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Cane sugar is a popular sweetener that comes from sugar cane or sugar beets.—
Lindsey DeSoto,
Health,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bill Clinton bludgeoned congressional Republicans with the 1995 shutdowns to recapture momentum and set in motion his successful reelection campaign.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The Yankees bludgeoned the Rockies, 13-1, on a Saturday afternoon at Coors Field.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Early that morning at the Ashmont MBTA station, Bartlett physically assaulted a homeless man without legal justification – striking the victim in the leg three times with a steel police baton.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
22 Sep. 2025
-
The following day, conductor Reab Ahmed took the baton, widely celebrated as the youngest and first Saudi maestro to lead national orchestra.—
Billboard Arabia,
Billboard,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
There’s a real reckoning to be made about the casting process and how to move forward, especially given the type of influence and clout the show can create for its contestants.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
14 July 2025
-
Kerry Carpenter clouted a key home run for the Detroit Tigers and Cole Ragans has pitched two terrific games for the Kansas City Royals among younger players stepping up.—
Chuck Murr,
Forbes,
9 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
The last northeastern gallery in this competition assailed Montgomerie so relentlessly during his match with Payne Stewart that the Scotsman’s father walked off the course on the front nine.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The media giant also has announced plans to acquire most of Fubo and combine the pay-TV operator with Hulu + Live TV, creating a formidable sports-centric combination that critics and at least one shareholder have assailed as a potential monopoly.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Daka said the chicken is cooked and, as it is cooked, it's chopped — almost shredded — and seasoned.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
27 Sep. 2025
-
In the fourth, catcher Sebastian Rivero put a two-strike pitch into play, chopping it back to Kolek.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The baby used her tail to smack the bird before taking it underwater, resurfacing to show boaters the bird had been skinned, the group said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The flintlock coughed a lot of smoke, but Zutterman heard the 270-grain roundball smack the buck.—
Bob McNally,
Outdoor Life,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Riley Greene whacked a 96-mph fastball that snuck over the right-field fence for Detroit’s second run.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Cal thumped the Beavers, whacked Texas Southern and outlasted Minnesota.—
Jon Wilner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cudgel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cudgel. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share