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
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Recent Examples of drubbing
Justin Ray, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Their voices have been heard, as Tewksbury (2-0) made a statement in its own right with an eye-opening 28-6 drubbing of Methuen.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
The most impressive of those by far was a 31-7 drubbing of South Carolina in the Gamecocks' own backyard.
—Chase Goodbread, The Tuscaloosa News, 24 Sep. 2025
Williams rose to the occasion, throwing for 298 yards and four touchdowns in the Bears' 31-14 drubbing of the Cowboys, Chicago's first win of the season.
—Kate Reilly, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025
Also, Bears coach Ben Johnson was the architect behind the Lions’ 47-9 drubbing of the Cowboys in Dallas last season, and Micah Parsons wasn’t available for that game either (obviously Parsons is in Green Bay now).
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025
Hendrickson has two sacks for Cincinnati, which is 2-1 but coming off a 48-10 drubbing against Minnesota.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
That also came in Carolina’s 38-0 drubbing of the Falcons 10 years ago, during Week 14 of the season in which the Panthers reached the Super Bowl.
—Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 21 Sep. 2025
The Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson connection is off to a rocky start for the Chicago Bears, who started the season 0-2 following a 52-21 drubbing by the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
—Trevor Squire, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
The alternate shot drubbing is a continuation from Marco Simone.
—Justin Ray, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Their voices have been heard, as Tewksbury (2-0) made a statement in its own right with an eye-opening 28-6 drubbing of Methuen.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
The most impressive of those by far was a 31-7 drubbing of South Carolina in the Gamecocks' own backyard.
—Chase Goodbread, The Tuscaloosa News, 24 Sep. 2025
Williams rose to the occasion, throwing for 298 yards and four touchdowns in the Bears' 31-14 drubbing of the Cowboys, Chicago's first win of the season.
—Kate Reilly, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025
Also, Bears coach Ben Johnson was the architect behind the Lions’ 47-9 drubbing of the Cowboys in Dallas last season, and Micah Parsons wasn’t available for that game either (obviously Parsons is in Green Bay now).
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025
Hendrickson has two sacks for Cincinnati, which is 2-1 but coming off a 48-10 drubbing against Minnesota.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
That also came in Carolina’s 38-0 drubbing of the Falcons 10 years ago, during Week 14 of the season in which the Panthers reached the Super Bowl.
—Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 21 Sep. 2025
The Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson connection is off to a rocky start for the Chicago Bears, who started the season 0-2 following a 52-21 drubbing by the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
—Trevor Squire, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
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
-
Liverpool’s defeat at Galatasaray saw their title chances drop from 20 to 15 per cent, with their top-eight chances falling to 59 per cent too (from 84).—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The drop in the currency has been driven in part by concerns over Milei’s political support ahead of key midterm elections later this month following a crushing defeat in a local vote in Buenos Aires province in early September.—
Nicolle Yapur,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Layered with live jazz and pounding percussion from experimental duo Robin Schulkowsky and Joey Baron, the result gave Hedda an extra pulse.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Oct. 2025
-
My heart was pounding in my chest and in my ears.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The wind was whipping this past week at McGrath Stadium, mist in the air.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Video from Camiguin Island, posted by the Philippines Department of the Interior and Local Government, showed fierce winds and ocean water whipping past houses onto a residential street.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Farley has managed to woo Wall Street more than his two most recent predecessors — both of whom departed the company after double-digit losses in Ford's stock price.—
Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Following Indiana's loss to the Aces, Clark took to social media on X and shared a short and touching message to her teammates and to the Fever fan base.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In fact, the mischievous pup led his owner directly to the scene of the crime by licking his lips constantly, which seemed awfully curious.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Bear 856 is also a large, male brown bear, who is easily identifiable to park rangers due to the animal's unusual habit of licking his lips — a behavior not typically observed in brown bears.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Panthers’ special teams unit went from being the top of the class to bombing a big exam.—
Mike Kaye
September 28,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America's goals.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The killing involved a lengthy beating and torture.—
Evan Mealins,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025
-
And in a few moments the room is filled with the faint whooshing sound of a small heart beating.—
Katia Riddle,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Imelda pulled away from the Bahamas Monday evening after lashing the islands with heavy rain, tropical storm-force winds and storm surge for two days.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Loners lashing out America has had genuine subversives and left-wing terror networks in the past.—
Michelle Goldberg,
Mercury News,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drubbing. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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