MUTILATE Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'mutilate' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mutilate are batter , cripple , maim , and mangle . While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function. // a tree mutilated by inept pruning

Q: Where would 'batter' be a reasonable alternative to 'mutilate'?

Although the words batter and mutilate have much in common, batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate. // an old ship battered by fierce storms

Q: When is 'cripple' a more appropriate choice than 'mutilate'?

The words cripple and mutilate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg. // crippled for life in an accident

Q: When can 'maim' be used instead of 'mutilate'?

The meanings of maim and mutilate largely overlap; however, maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence. // maimed by a shark

Q: When could 'mangle' be used to replace 'mutilate'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mutilate , mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds. // a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

mutilate

verb

ˈmyü-tə-ˌlāt

Definition of mutilate

as in to cripple

to cause severe or permanent injury to was lucky not to be mutilated in the car crash

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How does the verb mutilate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mutilate are batter, cripple, maim, and mangle. While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function.

a tree mutilated by inept pruning

Where would batter be a reasonable alternative to mutilate?

Although the words batter and mutilate have much in common, batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate.

an old ship battered by fierce storms

When is cripple a more appropriate choice than mutilate?

The words cripple and mutilate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg.

crippled for life in an accident

When can maim be used instead of mutilate?

The meanings of maim and mutilate largely overlap; however, maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence.

maimed by a shark

When could mangle be used to replace mutilate?

While in some cases nearly identical to mutilate, mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds.

a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

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 mutilate One knight short for the trial of seven that will determine if he is freed or if he will be mutilated by the crown, Dunk appeals to the honor of all knights present, asking them to take up his cause. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 10 June 2026 Tony Lee Hughes, 38, of the 600 block of Camelot Manor, is charged with Level 6 felonies of killing a domestic animal and mutilating a vertebrate animal. — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026 The victims in Louisiana and Florida were all stabbed, with some mutilated and several appeared posed suggestively. — Corin Cesaric, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026 The murderers followed them to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and proceeded to kill and mutilate them, too. — Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for mutilate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutilate

Verb

Because control can be distributed across multiple platforms, the loss of a single drone does not necessarily cripple the entire formation.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
Moses Okello, a senior researcher with the Institute for Security Studies’ Horn of Africa program, told CNN the attacks appear designed to cripple the city’s ability to function rather than simply hit military targets.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Definition of cripple

Verb

Many department policies tell officers to move out of the way of a vehicle rather than shoot because of the potential harm to bystanders who could be struck by unintended gunfire or by a careening vehicle if the driver is incapacitated.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
Last August, Parithad was catapulted into the position of CEO, after a court deemed Chuchat legally incapacitated.

— Angelica Ang, Fortune, 13 July 2026

Definition of incapacitate

Verb

Forget flowers, the men of dark romances maim as a grand gesture.

— Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 18 July 2026
All of the 200 children and adolescents initially qualified for the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder; after the group’s fifth session, with war still killing and maiming their friends, only 30% qualified.

— James Gordon, Time, 14 July 2026

Definition of maim

Verb

Four Kuwaiti service members were wounded by an Iranian attack on a Kuwaiti naval vessel, the country’s Defense Ministry said.

— Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
Morgan was fatally wounded, and despite officers and emergency medical personnel attempting life-saving measures, Morgan was pronounced dead at the scene.

— Martha Ross, Mercury News, 19 July 2026

Definition of wound

Verb

Despite a disabling illness, Ettenberg continues expanding these essential tools, ensuring others can dine with confidence.

— Michele Herrmann, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
In September, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services sent a notice denying her coverage, citing incorrect income information and stating she wasn't disabled, according to Kolosova and state documents reviewed by KFF Health News.

— Rachana Pradhan, NPR, 20 July 2026

Definition of disable

Verb

During the first four months of 2026 alone, drone strikes killed at least 880 civilians and accounted for more than 80% of civilian deaths recorded by the UN.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
The fire killed 168 people, most likely because of unscrupulous contractors who used shoddy materials.

— New York Times, New York Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of kill

Verb

The incident would live on in the national consciousness and permanently scar Exxon’s reputation.

— Alex Kuffner, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Instead of rigid probes that scar the brain, the porous, ultraflexible meshes were built to match the softness of cells and move with them.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Mar. 2026

Definition of scar

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mutes

mutilate

mutilated

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“Mutilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutilate. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of mutilate

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