Synonyms of mauled

mauled

verb

past tense of maul

1

as in abused

to abuse physically

demonstrators who claimed that they had been mauled by the police

Synonyms & Similar Words

• abused
• attacked
• manhandled
• ambushed
• injured
• tortured
• maltreated
• mishandled
• wounded
• beat
• battered
• hurt
• slapped
• roughed (up)
• pummeled
• licked
• mistreated
• wrestled
• thrashed
• knocked
• harmed
• fought
• persecuted
• buffeted
• bashed
• misused
• pounded
• hit
• ill-treated
• lambasted
• clobbered
• assailed
• wronged
• oppressed
• jumped
• tormented
• drubbed
• ill-used
• roughhoused
• pommeled
• ganged up (on)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• caressed
• petted
• fondled
• pampered
• coddled
• fostered
• nurtured
• cared (for)
• mollycoddled

2

as in licked

to strike repeatedly

the irate store owner was mauling the shoplifter when the police showed up

Synonyms & Similar Words

• licked
• pounded
• lashed
• attacked
• battered
• whipped
• pelted
• assaulted
• knocked
• slapped
• beat
• thumped
• punched
• hit
• smashed
• spanked
• slammed
• pummeled
• did
• bludgeoned
• batted
• bashed
• thrashed
• clubbed
• hided
• chopped
• buffeted
• hammered
• smacked
• flogged
• walloped
• wounded
• whacked
• paddled
• slated
• tanned
• punched out
• raided
• lathered
• lambasted
• curried
• belted
• boxed
• worked over
• drubbed
• switched
• swiped
• threshed
• tromped
• basted
• belabored
• laced
• stormed
• whupped
• whaled
• slogged
• birched
• roughed (up)
• fibbed
• whopped
• rushed
• swatted
• messed (up)
• clobbered
• pommeled
• bunged up
• cracked
• pasted
• assailed
• strapped
• cuffed
• socked
• beat up on
• descended (on or upon)
• laid on
• beset
• scourged
• jumped (on)
• gored
• mutilated
• busted
• caned
• thwacked
• lacerated
• clouted
• horsewhipped
• mangled
• maimed
• pounced (on or upon)
• whammed
• whomped
• flagellated
• lammed
• pistol-whipped
• cudgeled
• leathered
• blackjacked
• cowhided
• fustigated
• rawhided

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mauled

When his grandfather was mauled by a leopard caught in a trap set for an impala, however, Mgesi began to feel that the dangers of hunting wildlife outweighed its benefits for humans. — Juliet Kinsman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026

The native dogs are known to have killed baby Azaria Chamberlain, who was taken in the outback in 1980, and mauled Canadian tourist Piper James, who died on K’Gari off the coast of Queensland earlier this year. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

And, a year ago, a 71-year-old woman was mauled to death by four dogs in Miami Gardens. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026

In January, a 12-year-old boy died in a hospital days after he was mauled by a bull shark in Sydney Harbor. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026

Also in June, a woman was mauled by a shark at one of Australia's most popular beaches in Sydney. — CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

Lug a bulky, awkward, bear-proof canister to store your food so you don’t get mauled. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

And statistically, your chances of getting jumped and mauled by a bear are so low compared to any other real danger in the backcountry. — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026

The attack comes less than a month after another woman was mauled by a bear in Anchorage. — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026