1
as in to abuse
to abuse physically
demonstrators who claimed that they had been mauled by the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2025
He got mauled by Gators in The Swamp.
—Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY, 9 Oct. 2025
Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
Using the baton technique, the Mora Companion Spark chops wood like a spitting maul.
—Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for maul
Verb
Or adhere to your own values, at peril of being mauled?
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2025
He got mauled by Gators in The Swamp.
—Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
Cama’s 7-point try box came in the 74th minute and was a result of the Legion muscling their way to a series of successful scrums, mauls and rucks before Cama punched it over inside the 5-meter line area.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
Using the baton technique, the Mora Companion Spark chops wood like a spitting maul.
—Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for maul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maul
Verb
-
Many of us were abused by them.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The first is the publication of Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, released in October, which contained her allegations against Andrew and the wider story of her being abused by Epstein.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Collins is no doubt licking his chops studying tape of another Patriots rookie, left guard Jared Wilson, who allowed two sacks last weekend.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Soon, orange-red flames began to lick the wall and the roof’s open eaves.—
Ingfei Chen,
New Yorker,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But throughout the course of the film, Morgan takes a hammer to it all, trying to reinvent this space into something more her.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The city doesn’t need a hammer, but a scalpel.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Vinicius Jr also thrived in the Italian’s counter-attacking tactical setup, which was designed at least in part to suit his pace and direct running, and delivered the club’s two most recent Champions League trophies in 2022 and 2024.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The only thing that carries any water is making up something to attack Gretchen.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And so the Jays did, piling up one quality at-bat after another, grinding down Snell, pounding the Dodgers’ suspect bullpen.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Its rain has already been pounding parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic for several days, flooding roadways and triggering landslides.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Three years later, thieves, armed with sledgehammers, stole it in an audacious five-minute heist from Blenheim Palace, Winston Churchill’s historic birthplace in the English countryside.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Many a United fan and commentator expected Amorim to test his 6ft 5in sledgehammer of a striker against Slot’s back line from the off.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Workers described incidents of verbal and physical abuse, including reports from women workers who said they had been manhandled and subjected to obscene remarks and threats.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Vancouver completely manhandled a similarly representative Flames lineup, ultimately winning 8-1.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Migos star — who shares three children with Cardi — later appeared to lash out at her on a new song released at the end of October.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Strong winds also are expected to lash the West Coast as an atmospheric river (a corridor of concentrated moisture in the atmosphere, sometimes called a tropical plume) arrives on Friday.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maul. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share