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
Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025
Democrats have hoped to use the massive legislation package, which cuts Medicaid and other social services along with extending tax cuts, as a cudgel against Republicans in the midterms.
—Miriam Waldvogel, The Hill, 1 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
Trump also uses tariffs as a cudgel to encourage companies to invest in domestic production.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025
Democrats have hoped to use the massive legislation package, which cuts Medicaid and other social services along with extending tax cuts, as a cudgel against Republicans in the midterms.
—Miriam Waldvogel, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cudgel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cudgel
Noun
-
As Simeon and Tupe engaged in soothing effleurage and loudly vigorous tapotement, respectively, six Maori women surrounded their tables and sang folk songs in harmony, guided by an elder in the audience with a long, gnarled cane.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Now 77, widowed, remarried and using hearing aids and a cane, Novy hasn’t seen an increase in his $1,575 monthly worker’s compensation check — nor have the other more than 300 other PTD recipients — since 2016.—
TOM KERTSCHER,
jsonline.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
O’Steen bludgeoned Marissa Grimes, dug a shallow grave for her under his house in west Fort Worth and for 10 days lived above where police later sawed open the floor to expose Grimes’ decomposing 135-pound body, prosecutors have argued that the evidence shows.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Story editing is a form of self-talk that preempts your under-estimator from seizing control with its bludgeoning feedback.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Under the baton of Conductor Laureate Christopher Warren-Green, the Charlotte Symphony will be joined by Sphinx Virtuosi, the chamber orchestra of the Sphinx Organization, a national non-profit organization based in Detroit.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Reuters reported that police used water cannons, batons, rubber bullets and tear gas against protesters.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 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 sheriff and her legal team have repeatedly assailed Cordell’s report, commissioning their own review by former Riverside County Superior Court Judge Burke Strunsky, who criticized Cordell’s reliance on anonymous sources and unrecorded interviews.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Staci Ibarra, another warden who left the department in May — after she was put on administrative leave in the wake of an inmate’s death — assailed a practice in which maximum security inmates had their classification downgraded.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Clean, dry, and chop fresh parsley and put it in ice cube trays.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The praline starts out as a solid sweet before being chopped in a food processor into a paste.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Chiefs crushed the Patriots that night, winning 41-14 at Arrowhead Stadium and Brady was benched after the Chiefs smacked him down.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Pinch-hitters Agustín Ramírez and Eric Wagaman then smacked consecutive RBI singles to deliver the Marlins their first lead of the series.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The robot showcased exemplary skills with the bat, whacking the ball precisely in a rally of over 100 shots with human-like agility.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Sep. 2025
-
After consulting with the stunt coordinator, who gave her permission, Cooke whacked him – hard.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cudgel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cudgel. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share