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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

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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
  • New Zealand declined — and carried out their haka in their changing room before delivering a 45-10 thrashing.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The Blågult had started so well, mind you, with a 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
Definition of thrashing
Verb
  • Eubank Jr was seven years older than Benn, five years further into his professional career and, more pertinently, boxing at middleweight, three weight classes higher than super-lightweight Benn.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Pausing midway through a meal to check in with your hunger is a good rule of thumb, and boxing half of a meal at a restaurant to bring home can also help.
    — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of boxing
Noun
  • This song features a kick drum throughout, and the boosted bass takes it from background timekeeping to foreground hammering.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The Middle East faces chaotic power shifts as Iran, despite taking a hammering, refuses to back down, though its regional influence is expected to wane.
    — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of hammering
Verb
  • Carrington was ejected from the game in the first half after smacking Cunningham across the face during Cunningham's layup attempt.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Catcher Daniel Susac followed up Wednesday’s two-home-run game by smacking a two-run shot, and the Giants bullpen didn’t break down while protecting a 4-1 victory.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 31 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
  • There are frightening stories of swordfish charging boats, and even spearing their transoms and whacking propellers.
    — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Yes, there were moments of humor, such as getting magic potions around the campfire at the end of each stage by whacking helpless little elves, but most of it was played straight, to great effect.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of whacking
Noun
  • Next, the door becomes his battering ram, knocking three enemies down to the landing below him.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Hunter is a compact back renowned for his lower-body power and battering-ram mentality.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of battering
Verb
  • Arch Manning's joking comments at a news conference about a fake video of coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe erupted in controversy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Texas quarterback Arch Manning has apologized for his public reaction to a video that was altered by AI to show Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe and knocking her to the ground.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 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 23 Sep. 2026.

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