1
as in pounded
to strike repeatedly
a crowd was drubbing the purse snatcher when the police arrived on the scene
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in bombed
to defeat by a large margin
we drubbed our traditional football rivals so badly that it was basically no contest
Synonyms & Similar 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 drubbed
That Alabama didn’t drop a spot in the rankings after being drubbed by Georgia in the SEC championship was objectionable.
—
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
North Crowley scored touchdowns on nine of its 10 possessions, including three after halftime when the starters sat down, as the Panthers drubbed Legacy 63-17 in a Class 6A Division I area-round playoff Saturday at Shotwell Stadium.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Nov. 2025
The Broncos have a 9-4 series record in 13 all-time matchups against this NFC foe, and drubbed them 30-16 in their last meeting when outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper recorded his first two NFL sacks against Dallas QB Dak Prescott.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
Biggest disappointment — Baltimore Ravens One of the teams with the best odds to contend for the Super Bowl, Baltimore has instead gotten off to a dismal start after blowing fourth-quarter leads and losing to both Buffalo and the Detroit Lions and after getting drubbed by Kansas City.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
North Crowley scored touchdowns on nine of its 10 possessions, including three after halftime when the starters sat down, as the Panthers drubbed Legacy 63-17 in a Class 6A Division I area-round playoff Saturday at Shotwell Stadium.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Nov. 2025
The Broncos have a 9-4 series record in 13 all-time matchups against this NFC foe, and drubbed them 30-16 in their last meeting when outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper recorded his first two NFL sacks against Dallas QB Dak Prescott.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
Biggest disappointment — Baltimore Ravens One of the teams with the best odds to contend for the Super Bowl, Baltimore has instead gotten off to a dismal start after blowing fourth-quarter leads and losing to both Buffalo and the Detroit Lions and after getting drubbed by Kansas City.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drubbed
Verb
-
The Celtics pounded the paint with Neemias Queta and Luka Garza, a pair of bruising bigs who also can force the issue from 3-point range despite their lumbering dispositions.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Trump seems to have arrived, on his own, at the same understanding of geography and politics that was pounded into the heads of Soviet schoolchildren, including Putin and me.—
M. Gessen,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As tensions soar over Iran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests, satellite images show activity at two Iranian nuclear sites bombed last year by Israel and the United States that may be a sign of Tehran trying to obscure efforts to salvage any materials remaining there.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Earlier this month, Mississippi’s oldest synagogue was fire-bombed, and a little over a week ago, threatening signs displaying a swastika and a noose were found at Shalom Park, home to multiple Jewish organizations in Charlotte.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Just hours before Saturday morning’s Shabbat service, flames and smoke licked through the synagogue, destroying at least two Torahs and many prayer books.—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
14 Jan. 2026
-
When asked by director Marina Zenovich if there was a time when Chase walked away from his mother and stepfather and never saw them again, Chase pretended to swat a fly on his forehead, then licked his fingers as if eating the imaginary bug.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But Biden, then a former vice president, trounced her and others in the South Carolina primaries, prompting her to drop out and join others in closing ranks behind him.—
Bill Barrow,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The Steelers were trounced 30-6 by the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card game on Monday night at Acrisure Field.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But Johnson, who won a pair of Super Bowl championships with the Cowboys, lashed out at Spygate being the reason for Belichick not being selected.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
28 Jan. 2026
-
This is far from the first time the White House has lashed out at the cohosts of The View.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In an unlit room, the children are whipped and verbally chastized.—
Blake Simons,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Mountains of snow accumulated in drifts, whipped by winds of 50 mph or more.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sierra Canyon thumped Chaminade 79-28 and Crespi defeated Loyola 65-61 at home.—
Tarek Fattal,
Daily News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
When the Seahawks thumped the Chiefs 33-16 in August, fans chalked it up to Patrick Mahomes sitting out the preseason game at Lumen Field in Seattle.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Patriots leaned on Los Angeles offensively and thrashed them on defense, circling Justin Herbert in the first half before swarming him for four sacks in the second.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The Giants followed that up by getting thrashed by the Eagles in Philadelphia this past Sunday.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drubbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drubbed. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
