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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cudgel
Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025
Trump uses them as an all-purpose cudgel, linking tariffs to immigration or the sale of TikTok.
—Vivienne Walt, New York Times, 25 Jan. 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
In recent years, his chairmanship has fanned the flames of conflict between himself and downtown residents who say Carollo has used his power in the agency like a cudgel to clutter precious greenspace with tacky and unnecessary installations.
—Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025
Trump uses them as an all-purpose cudgel, linking tariffs to immigration or the sale of TikTok.
—Vivienne Walt, New York Times, 25 Jan. 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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An older man walking with a cane was also caught up in the scuffle and fell on his back.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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Walking with a cane and recovering from a recent illness, Mr. Lev could not resist doing a little jig as stepped upon it to the cheers of friends and family.—
Dina Kraft,
Christian Science Monitor,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
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According to court documents, her daughter Sarra, who suffered from schizophrenia, stabbed her mother 227 times and ultimately bludgeoned her with a fire extinguisher.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2025
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This same trait also makes people less likely to bludgeon the machines—a factor that could become increasingly important as humanoid robot manufacturers push for wider adoption across various industries.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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When more officers got to the scene, while officers held Nichols' arms and hit him with a barrage of kicks, punches, baton strikes and pepper spray.—
Jack Armstrong,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
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Video of the beating, captured by a police pole camera, showed Nichols being held by his arms as officers punched, kicked and struck him with a baton, according to reports from the AP and The Commercial Appeal newspaper.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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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
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Not since the former Yankee slugger clouted three home runs in a World Series game against the Dodgers in 1977 has Jackson done more with a pitch in the strike zone.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
22 June 2024
Verb
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Trump had assailed Bezos and his companies during his first term.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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And why, in a moment of barbed stories assailing theatrical movie budgets and picture pickers, theatrical moviegoing’s future falls to its best artists, and the studio execs who bet on their big creative swings.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The school board subsequently chopped $6 million from that, so its formal request was for $141 million.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2025
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Grating your eggs, instead of chopping, helps achieve a really creamy, fluffy texture that spreads well.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Guests can also hop a free shuttle to the hotel’s sister property, Skylark Negril Beach Resort, smack on Seven Mile Beach.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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Someone on the other team took a shot at him, and the puck tipped right under his visor and hit him in the eye, squarely smacking him right in the eyeball.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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One day Dave whacked the laurel hedge down to sturdy stumps, like dinosaurs fossilized midstride.—
Murr Brewster,
Christian Science Monitor,
16 Apr. 2025
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Then, Crosby instinctively whacked at the puck and absolutely buried it top shelf.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cudgel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cudgel. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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