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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maul
Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Most occur as the closing credits roll, whether pretending to be viciously mauled by a bear or, even more unnervingly, clearly superimposing his face onto the body of a performing cellist.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
The arrangement appeared to be working out well until that morning, when less than an hour after Loyalty's arrival, Miller called 911 to report that the boy had been mauled by her two Great Dane/Mastiff mixes.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Most occur as the closing credits roll, whether pretending to be viciously mauled by a bear or, even more unnervingly, clearly superimposing his face onto the body of a performing cellist.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 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
Verb
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Crooks have learned how to abuse them, steal them and trick people into handing them over.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
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What is perhaps most troubling is the actions of some to abuse their access to privileged and confidential information to mispresent facts, manipulate situations and selectively use and leak that information to promote personal agendas.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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When the tiffin is returned licked clean, Ila sends another meal but with a note, leading to a rich correspondence between the two.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
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Just outside the room, Hadley eagerly licked it up.—
Laura Ungar,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
Noun
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Belal Salem, a member of our team, struck the rock with his hammer.—
Sanaa El-Sayed,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
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Roske showed up to Kavanaugh’s home with a firearm, several magazines of ammunition, pepper spray, zip ties, a hammer, screwdrivers, a nail punch and a crowbar.—
Alexandra Bacallao,
NBC news,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Rather than attacking all rapidly growing cells, as chemotherapy does, the drug targets a key cancer-driving pathway known as KRAS, which is involved in more than 90% of pancreatic tumors.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
5 June 2026
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Akindahunsi is accused of attacking several women the night of May 28.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The Israeli military early Thursday pounded Lebanon’s fourth largest city, killing at least 14 people across the south of the country in its ongoing military escalation against the Hezbollah group ahead of crucial talks in Washington.—
Kyla Guilfoil,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
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Fighter jets roared overhead, and air strikes pounded the surrounding hillsides, sending up thick plumes of acrid smoke.—
Euan Ward,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Noun
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The men found information on target businesses and used pry bars and sledgehammers to break into buildings and open safes that stored pull-tab proceeds, the complaint states.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
28 May 2026
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Then there is Illan Meslier, the former first-choice goalkeeper who sent a message as subtle as a sledgehammer with his extended farewell to Elland Road last weekend.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Verb
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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
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Those ramped up after Ottawa was completely manhandled by the Canes, and never held the lead at any point in the series.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This torturous ordeal marked Mee’s first time entering this cave, located in the foothills of a mining project near the village of Long Tieng, hours away from the nearest cities and on muddy roads that have been lashed by the rainy season.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
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Putin is lashing out by intensifying assaults on civilian targets, especially in the capital city of Kyiv.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maul. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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