maul 1 of 2

verb

Definition of maulnext
1
as in to abuse
to abuse physically demonstrators who claimed that they had been mauled by the police

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly the irate store owner was mauling the shoplifter when the police showed up

Synonyms & Similar Words

maul

2 of 2

noun

as in hammer

Related 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 maul
Verb
The Patriots aren’t good enough yet to maul people up front, but must become more efficient and balanced offensively as the postseason showed. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 26 July 2026 Chris Brown was found liable by a Los Angeles jury on Tuesday for $13 million in the gruesome case of a dog that mauled and disfigured his housekeeper at his home in 2020. — Chris Willman, Variety, 1 July 2026
Noun
The half ended with the Free Jacks once again putting the Sabercats under pressure, trying to force their way over the tryline through a rolling maul, and twice failing to score. — Vitas Carosella, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025 Minutes later, Hanover scored back-to-back tries with near identical mauls down the sideline. — Marcello Rossetti, Boston Herald, 14 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for maul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maul
  1. abuse
  2. lick
  3. hammer
  4. attack
  5. pound
  6. sledgehammer
  7. manhandle
  8. lash
Verb
  • Her father is much more laid-back and won’t abuse the privilege.
    — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • That’s fine and good, but whenever police agencies have intrusive tools, some officers will abuse them.
    — Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of abuse
Verb
  • Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand.
    — Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Griffin diligently washes his hands after his dogs lick them, especially before picking up a slice of pizza.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • The suspect removes a hammer from his pocket and repeatedly strikes the statue before knocking it off its pedestal.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • There are a few brief, shining glimpses of the chemistry and character moments that made the first movie such a joy—like the early party scene where the team tries to lift Thor’s hammer—but Ultron is otherwise a slog.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of hammer
Verb
  • New arrival Maghnes Akliouche adds another attacking option this summer, while the signing of Lucas Digne from Villa gives this particular fixture an early subplot, with the full-back facing his old club straight out of the gate.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The woman was in the Silver River in Marion County, just south of Gainesville, when she was attacked on the arm on Saturday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.
    — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of attack
Verb
  • Even the region's major interstate highway, I-70, was partly shut down after a section of it buckled under the weight of pounding rain.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The robust menu aims to satiate hungry tourists who’ve spent long hours pounding the black sampietrini cobblestones of the vast open-air museum that is the Eternal City.
    — Alexandra Kirkman, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of pound
Noun
  • In the 1970s, Disabled students in Berkeley took sledgehammers to curbs and built ramps themselves.
    — Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Investigators on Monday were asking the public to help find masked suspects who used sledgehammers to smash display cases and steal more than $200,000 worth of jewelry at a store in Yuba City’s mall.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of sledgehammer
Verb
  • His hands and ability to manhandle blockers made him among the best defensive players in the West Valley League.
    — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 31 July 2026
  • During this stretch, the Colts will face three AFC opponents, including the Steelers, who manhandled them last year and forced Jones to commit a career-high five turnovers in a loss.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Definition of manhandle
Verb
  • Powerful winds and lashing rain flipped over a truck in Zhejiang’s Wenzhou, a video posted on TikTok on Sunday showed.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Earlier this month, Kennedy lashed out during an interview on CNN over vaccine and public health policies.
    — Daniel Payne, STAT, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of lash

Browse Nearby Words

maudlin
maul
mauled
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Cite this Entry

“Maul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maul. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of maul for Spanish Speakers

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