as in defeat
failure to win a contest
took a terrible drubbing in last night's basketball game
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pounding
to strike repeatedly
a crowd was drubbing the purse snatcher when the police arrived on the scene
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in whipping
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
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Recent Examples of drubbing
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Meanwhile the 27-year-old Pulisic injured his calf initially just last week in training and aggravated it during the USMNT’s World Cup opener—a 4-1 drubbing of Paraguay.
—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
And without Burnham’s presence, no Labour leadership race can really materialize despite seven ministers resigning from Starmer’s government since a drubbing for the party in May’s local elections, which do not affect the national government but provide an important indication of the public’s mood.
—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Coral Springs Charter won its semifinal with a 14-0 drubbing of Lakeland McKeel.
—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
23 May 2026
After Saturday’s 21-point drubbing in Game 6 by the Pistons, Atkinson re-inserted Max Strus into the starting lineup over Dean Wade.
—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
The election drubbing cemented doubts among many Labor lawmakers about Starmer’s judgment, vision and leadership ability — a brutal indictment on a leader who returned the party to power in July 2024 after 14 years in opposition.
—
Danica Kirka,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
The Mavericks’ most recent conquest of the team from Texas was a 7-4 drubbing of the Americans on Wednesday night in Game 3.
—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
And remember 2008, when Urban Meyer used all of his timeouts in the final minute of a 49-10 drubbing in Jacksonville?
—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
1 May 2026
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
After Labour was handed a drubbing by voters in May's local and regional elections, the party took action.
—
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Meanwhile the 27-year-old Pulisic injured his calf initially just last week in training and aggravated it during the USMNT’s World Cup opener—a 4-1 drubbing of Paraguay.
—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
And without Burnham’s presence, no Labour leadership race can really materialize despite seven ministers resigning from Starmer’s government since a drubbing for the party in May’s local elections, which do not affect the national government but provide an important indication of the public’s mood.
—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Coral Springs Charter won its semifinal with a 14-0 drubbing of Lakeland McKeel.
—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
23 May 2026
After Saturday’s 21-point drubbing in Game 6 by the Pistons, Atkinson re-inserted Max Strus into the starting lineup over Dean Wade.
—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
The election drubbing cemented doubts among many Labor lawmakers about Starmer’s judgment, vision and leadership ability — a brutal indictment on a leader who returned the party to power in July 2024 after 14 years in opposition.
—
Danica Kirka,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
The Mavericks’ most recent conquest of the team from Texas was a 7-4 drubbing of the Americans on Wednesday night in Game 3.
—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
And remember 2008, when Urban Meyer used all of his timeouts in the final minute of a 49-10 drubbing in Jacksonville?
—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
The mighty Mariners, who mashed five solo home runs at raucous T-Mobile Park, clinched their title by drubbing Major League Baseball’s doormat, aka the Colorado Rockies, 9-2.
—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drubbing
Noun
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A little more than an hour before his post-match press conference in the bowels of SoFi Stadium, Pochettino watched his USA team give up a last-second goal to Turkey that ensured a 3-2 defeat in this final match of the group stage.
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News of Custer's defeat stunned Americans, who were celebrating their country's centennial.
Verb
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Both Ghana and England will walk away with a point after Ghana managed to hold off England in a heart-pounding final few minutes of stoppage time.
-
Each time, my heart would start pounding.
Verb
-
Ospreay struck Strickland, who responded by whipping a chain at him.
-
Vargas is accused of repeatedly whipping the cab’s hood with a belt, denting it, cops said.
Noun
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As Hinkley’s family and fiancée mourn the loss of a young man who still had his entire future ahead of him, prosecutors emphasized the scrutiny applied when criminal allegations involve an on-duty law enforcement officer.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have long been one of Major League Baseball’s most successful franchises, which means their players often find themselves at the center of conversations that extend beyond wins and losses.
Verb
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After milking, the cows would return themselves to their fresh pasture and spend the day grazing, snoozing, licking one another, and cooling off in the shade of pine trees.
-
Bring along a friend who wouldn’t be able to indulge in these kinds of finger-licking treats otherwise.
Verb
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French officials condemned the damage to the ancient monastery, comparing it to bombing Notre-Dame, while Ukrainian religious leaders called it a crime against humanity.
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Another bad fix bombing out the moment it was most needed.
Noun
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According to Baton Rouge station WBRZ, Mystikal had been accused of beating, choking and robbing a woman in 2022.
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According to prosecutors, who cited testimony and evidence at McCue's trial, the children allegedly suffered severe beatings and were forced to wear shock collars and stand naked on cinder blocks for hours or sometimes days at a time.
Verb
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Criminal Minds star Paget Brewster is apologizing after lashing out at a critic.
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Hurricane Fiona pummeled Puerto Rico in September 2022 as a Category 1 storm, lashing once more a power grid that hadn’t been rebuilt from Hurricane Maria.
Cite this Entry
“Drubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drubbing. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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