1
as in abused
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 licked
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 mauled
In September, a 71-year-old woman was mauled to death by dogs in Miami Gardens, and a dog killed a 5-month-old infant near Daytona Beach in July.
—
Nicole R. Kurtz, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
The botanical zoo, which is home to hundreds of animal species, confirmed Machado, 19, was mauled to death in a news release shared on Instagram.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
The child, found mauled in a sugarcane field, died on the way to hospital.
—CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
Leona, the lioness who mauled the teen, is under evaluation.
—Kate Reilly, NBC news, 1 Dec. 2025
In his experience, a person mauled by a grizzly was usually bitten and battered but then left to die and ripen before being eaten; a black bear would kill outright and feed immediately.
—William D. Brown, Outdoor Life, 13 Nov. 2025
What To Know On October 27, a 79-year-old woman was found dead near her home in northeastern Japan’s Akita Prefecture, on the island of Honshu, with facial injuries suggesting she had been mauled by a bear, according to local reports.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
As Chris Brown speeds toward a February trial in the case of a housekeeper who was mauled by a security dog at his Los Angeles house five years ago, the singer is sharing his detailed description of the incident, in his own words, for the first time.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
An Ohio woman was sentenced to prison after officials said her 6-month-old baby was mauled to death by a dog after being left unsupervised.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2025
Nicole R. Kurtz, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
The botanical zoo, which is home to hundreds of animal species, confirmed Machado, 19, was mauled to death in a news release shared on Instagram.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
The child, found mauled in a sugarcane field, died on the way to hospital.
—CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
Leona, the lioness who mauled the teen, is under evaluation.
—Kate Reilly, NBC news, 1 Dec. 2025
In his experience, a person mauled by a grizzly was usually bitten and battered but then left to die and ripen before being eaten; a black bear would kill outright and feed immediately.
—William D. Brown, Outdoor Life, 13 Nov. 2025
What To Know On October 27, a 79-year-old woman was found dead near her home in northeastern Japan’s Akita Prefecture, on the island of Honshu, with facial injuries suggesting she had been mauled by a bear, according to local reports.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
As Chris Brown speeds toward a February trial in the case of a housekeeper who was mauled by a security dog at his Los Angeles house five years ago, the singer is sharing his detailed description of the incident, in his own words, for the first time.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
An Ohio woman was sentenced to prison after officials said her 6-month-old baby was mauled to death by a dog after being left unsupervised.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mauled
Verb
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The suit alleges that Ham abused her repeatedly over a number of years, and that defendants knew of the abuse, but instead chose to prioritize reputational and financial interests over her safety.—
Rachel DeSantis,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
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Canty, a former special agent in charge of the SBI’s Charlotte region office, resigned from the Mecklenburg Sheriff’s Office in November 2024 and issued a letter then alleging that McFadden abused his powers.—
Ryan Oehrli,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some even licked the candy to soften it -- a trick used by contestants in the show.—
Hakyung Kate Lee,
ABC News,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Napkins were crumpled; plates were licked.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Crabtree stopped, turned, attacked the ball and snagged it.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Nelson claimed to police that the man attacked her and their son after opening the car door.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Celtics pounded the paint with Neemias Queta and Luka Garza, a pair of bruising bigs who also can force the issue from 3-point range despite their lumbering dispositions.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
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Trump seems to have arrived, on his own, at the same understanding of geography and politics that was pounded into the heads of Soviet schoolchildren, including Putin and me.—
M. Gessen,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Vancouver completely manhandled a similarly representative Flames lineup, ultimately winning 8-1.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Picking sweet Julie mangoes from the big tree in the front yard of my childhood home; going to the beach where my late brother tried (and failed) to teach me to swim; visiting relatives during the summer in the very areas that were now being lashed by rain and wind.—
Grace White,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
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Vargas floated groups of migrants across the informal border crossing between Guatemala and Mexico on a makeshift raft made from wooden boards lashed to fat inner tubes.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In 2010, while covering an event in Lara, a western state that has long been a government stronghold, he and several fellow journalists were ambushed by a mob of militants loyal to the regime.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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And after a Washington woman was repeatedly ambushed by an owl while walking in the woods near her house in 2022, biologists report that the occurrence is becoming more frequent.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Tossed and battered by violent wind and severe turbulence, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hurricane Hunters have spent the past week diving into the eye of Melissa — a storm of historic ferocity — to gather life-saving data.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
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At least 19 people have lost their lives in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa, which battered the island this week as the most powerful storm to ever hit the Caribbean nation.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mauled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mauled. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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