as in thrashing
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in abusing
to abuse physically
demonstrators who claimed that they had been mauled by the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in licking
to strike repeatedly
the irate store owner was mauling the shoplifter when the police showed up
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Recent Examples of mauling
Dan Duggan, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
These were claps of relief and encouragement from a European audience bracing for a mauling like JD Vance’s onslaught last year.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Fresh from his online mauling at the hands of Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, the world’s richest man can take some consolation.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Feb. 2026
Jacqueline Durand was 22 and a student at the University of Texas at Dallas when the mauling occurred in December 2021.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Both tragedies unfolded in rural Northern California, with the fatal lion mauling occurring in El Dorado County.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … SNAP ATTACK – Skier suffers brutal mauling after stepping within 10 feet of snow leopard for photo.
—FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
There isn’t a Joe Alt or Penei Sewell in this draft class, but Mauigoa, a former five-star recruit, is big (6-6, 315), powerful, athletic and plays with a mauling mentality at the tackle position.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
The tragedy of the mauling death of Michael Millett III in a community with an alleged history of incidents involving dangerous dogs should serve as a reminder for anyone who witnesses or experiences a dog behaving aggressively to file a complaint with local animal control.
—Nicole R. Kurtz, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
City enters Week 2 of the new campaign as Premier League leader after mauling its way to a 4-0 win over Wolves on opening weekend.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Noun
There are questions about free-agent right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor’s fit with Harbaugh, who wants a mauling offensive line in the run game.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
These were claps of relief and encouragement from a European audience bracing for a mauling like JD Vance’s onslaught last year.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Fresh from his online mauling at the hands of Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, the world’s richest man can take some consolation.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Feb. 2026
Jacqueline Durand was 22 and a student at the University of Texas at Dallas when the mauling occurred in December 2021.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Both tragedies unfolded in rural Northern California, with the fatal lion mauling occurring in El Dorado County.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … SNAP ATTACK – Skier suffers brutal mauling after stepping within 10 feet of snow leopard for photo.
—FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
There isn’t a Joe Alt or Penei Sewell in this draft class, but Mauigoa, a former five-star recruit, is big (6-6, 315), powerful, athletic and plays with a mauling mentality at the tackle position.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
The tragedy of the mauling death of Michael Millett III in a community with an alleged history of incidents involving dangerous dogs should serve as a reminder for anyone who witnesses or experiences a dog behaving aggressively to file a complaint with local animal control.
—Nicole R. Kurtz, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
Verb
Or left tackle Theo Benedet pulling into the open field in Cincinnati, sprinting well beyond the line of scrimmage, starting his block on Geno Stone 4 yards from the sideline, then mauling the Bengals safety within inches of a bench.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
City enters Week 2 of the new campaign as Premier League leader after mauling its way to a 4-0 win over Wolves on opening weekend.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mauling
Noun
-
The first was at Wolverhampton Wanderers, then the second was in the closing stages of the thrashing of Crystal Palace at Elland Road.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Stevenson played his best game in the Pats’ regular-season finale, a 38-10 thrashing of Miami.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Now that Democrats have control and have adopted a similar playbook, Republicans accuse them of abusing their power.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Chloe Johnson, 25, was caught on camera abusing several infants at a day care in Blaine, Minnesota.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The spotless streets are polished nightly by the feet of families licking ice cream.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
-
On April 30, 2025, the dog was reportedly licking its tail and lethargic.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
According to Fairbanks, who moved to South Africa from the United States more than fifteen years ago, attacks on farms appear to be mostly economically motivated crimes.—
Boyce Upholt,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The attack illustrated the care news outlets must take in reporting during wartime, and the responsibilities of American journalists to report the perspective of countries its government views as enemies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The crude market has been hit by wild volatility since the United States and Israel began striking Iran at the end of last month, with Tehran retaliating by attacking targets across the oil-rich Gulf and effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.—
Nur Hikmah Md Ali,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
-
After many of them, Trump officials moved quickly to justify the shooting and accuse the victim of attacking agents, all before an investigation had taken place.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Using traditional Ukrainian folklore songs, voiceover plus pounding music, the stakes these young people confront become clearly apparent.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Everything around him pounding in its pulse, the song of the world thronging in all its discord.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The assault took place both and off campus and during and after school hours, according to the news release.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Jalloh’s lengthy criminal history includes more than 30 arrests for charges of rape, assault, drug possession, property destruction, identity theft, trespassing, firing a weapon, grand larceny, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pickpocketing.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Lee had been caught on video back in 2017 shouting at a woman who was reportedly his girlfriend, manhandling her and calling her names, in a confrontation allegedly broken up by a teammate.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Social media served up a daily video deluge of heavily armed agents randomly manhandling dark-skinned people.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mauling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mauling. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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