1
2
as in licked
to strike repeatedly
back in those times it was acceptable for teachers to paddle misbehaving students
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paddled
Video showed one of the rescuers swimming out to Phoenix, who paddled toward the man.
—
Riley Rourke, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
As a tragic week ended, thousands swam and paddled on boards off the coast of Bondi as the community came together to heal.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 2025
The Indigenous Kayakers on the Klamath As the Klamath River was being freed from its dams, a group of teens paddled its full 300 miles—reclaiming a sacred waterway for their people.
—The Editors, Outside, 15 Dec. 2025
No death-defying rapids here on this lazy, looping stretch easily paddled by families in canoes.
—Stephen Trimble, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
Amazon Prime Video’s six-part thriller concluded with an ending that cannonballed into new territory and paddled swiftly away from the ending of Michelle Frances’ 2017 novel of the same name.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
The girl’s mom got into a kayak, paddled out to the sinking canoe and rescued her daughter, but her boyfriend went underwater, deputies said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
Riley Rourke, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
As a tragic week ended, thousands swam and paddled on boards off the coast of Bondi as the community came together to heal.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 2025
The Indigenous Kayakers on the Klamath As the Klamath River was being freed from its dams, a group of teens paddled its full 300 miles—reclaiming a sacred waterway for their people.
—The Editors, Outside, 15 Dec. 2025
No death-defying rapids here on this lazy, looping stretch easily paddled by families in canoes.
—Stephen Trimble, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
Amazon Prime Video’s six-part thriller concluded with an ending that cannonballed into new territory and paddled swiftly away from the ending of Michelle Frances’ 2017 novel of the same name.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
The girl’s mom got into a kayak, paddled out to the sinking canoe and rescued her daughter, but her boyfriend went underwater, deputies said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paddled
Verb
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President Emeritus at Orange Coast College, Grant is in a class by himself, having sailed or rowed enough times to have circumvented the world more than once.—
Richard Dunn,
Oc Register,
15 Jan. 2026
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Moran rowed crew all four years at the prestigious school, while Schlossberg studied history.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Just hours before Saturday morning’s Shabbat service, flames and smoke licked through the synagogue, destroying at least two Torahs and many prayer books.—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
14 Jan. 2026
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When asked by director Marina Zenovich if there was a time when Chase walked away from his mother and stepfather and never saw them again, Chase pretended to swat a fly on his forehead, then licked his fingers as if eating the imaginary bug.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But Johnson, who won a pair of Super Bowl championships with the Cowboys, lashed out at Spygate being the reason for Belichick not being selected.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
28 Jan. 2026
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This is far from the first time the White House has lashed out at the cohosts of The View.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Jan. 2026
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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In an unlit room, the children are whipped and verbally chastized.—
Blake Simons,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
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Mountains of snow accumulated in drifts, whipped by winds of 50 mph or more.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Playing on tour with Elvis Costello, the Clash, and the Cars, they’d been pelted with shoes, coins, and even knives.—
Alastair Shuttleworth,
Pitchfork,
22 Jan. 2026
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Mason Lake, a photojournalist who has been exposed to various crowd-control tactics while covering protests in Portland, Oregon, said getting hit with pepper balls feels similar to being pelted with paintballs.—
Graham Hurley,
CNN Money,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trump has said previously that the Cuban economy, battered by years of an American embargo, would slide further with the ouster of Maduro.—
Seung Min Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
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The arts scene in South Florida has been battered by funding cuts at the federal and state levels over the last few years.—
Daniel Rivero,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For perhaps the direction WWE is going with this match, backstage, Zayn slapped Drew McIntyre in the face.—
Rob Wolkenbrod,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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Trump had previously slapped a 10 percent tariff on Denmark and its European allies over the issue of Greenland, rattling much of Europe.—
Ellen Mitchell,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paddled. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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