cudgeling 1 of 2

noun

variants or cudgelling
as in thrashing

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cudgeling

2 of 2

verb

variants or cudgelling
present participle of cudgel
as in boxing

Related Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cudgeling
  1. thrashing
  2. boxing
  3. hammering
  4. smacking
  5. pounding
  6. whacking
  7. battering
  8. slapping
Noun
  • The Blågult had started so well, mind you, with a 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
  • Jonathan David had a hat trick in last Thursday’s 6-0 thrashing of Qatar.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Definition of thrashing
Verb
  • The Washington Post took a look at how the designation risks boxing the US out of Syria’s recovery.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 8 July 2026
  • Instead of scoring points, Richard was more focused on making the right defensive rotation, making passes and boxing out.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
Definition of boxing
Noun
  • There is no hammering out a return with another team because the parameters and compensation are outlined based on the average annual value offered.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 16 June 2026
  • During a walk-through for reporters on Thursday, construction noises — particularly sanding and hammering — could be heard.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 June 2026
Definition of hammering
Verb
  • With a Triple-A pitcher called up for a spot start and a utilityman smacking an early two-run homer, the Boston Red Sox, having now won eight straight games, keep winning with an unlikely formula.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • The first mode is a more simple impact detonation — simply put, smacking the asteroid's surface to create a shallow crater, in which a nuclear device is exploded.
    — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of smacking
Noun
  • Rucking targets both at once without the joint pounding of running or the recovery debt of hard gym sessions.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026
  • Rutted migration routes, carved by the constant pounding of animal hooves, littered northern Pennsylvania.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Definition of pounding
Verb
  • Larry Hayes, 86, and Bill Moniz, 79, hit the tennis courts in Mountain View three to four times a week — whacking balls across the net as teammates for one to three hours a week.
    — Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
  • And the crowd clearly expected that pucks whacking the nets would be at a premium in this series, too.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 May 2026
Definition of whacking
Noun
  • The battering started at the outset with first-inning RBI singles provided by Loftin and Starling Marte after the Phillies blew a chance to end the frame by not completing a double play.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026
  • Taylor was shot in her bed by Louisville police officers executing a no-knock raid and using a battering ram to break into her apartment.
    — Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of battering
Verb
  • But when their panel ended, the sports stars got into a heated exchange that ended with Brady slapping Paul in the face.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 18 July 2026
  • As seen in a video posted by Fanatics on Instagram and X, the former NFL quarterback traded words with Paul face-to-face before slapping him, and was ultimately pulled away.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
Definition of slapping
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.

Browse Nearby Words

cudgeled one's brains (about)
cudgeling
cudgeling one's brains (about)
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Cite this Entry

“Cudgeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cudgeling. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cudgeling

Nglish: Translation of cudgeling for Spanish Speakers

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