as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
pummeled the mugger with her fists until help arrived
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Recent Examples of pummel
The storms that pummeled Southern California this week brought dramatic wind gusts, bursts of rain and lightning that set trees on fire, not to mention heavy snow.
—
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
The incident followed a strong rainstorm event that pummeled the state earlier this week.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
The Italian Alps used to get pummeled with so much snow during the winter that, hundreds of years ago, transportation was rendered impossible.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Investors were ready to pummel the stock after Figma saw a more than 80% tumble since an IPO last year that saw its price surge above $140 before sinking about $23.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pummel
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
The incident followed a strong rainstorm event that pummeled the state earlier this week.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
The Italian Alps used to get pummeled with so much snow during the winter that, hundreds of years ago, transportation was rendered impossible.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Investors were ready to pummel the stock after Figma saw a more than 80% tumble since an IPO last year that saw its price surge above $140 before sinking about $23.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pummel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pummel
Verb
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Legend has it that when Buddha was painting the sky, blue pigment dripped onto the floor and his inquisitive chow chow licked the puddle, coloring the dog’s tongue permanently.—
Andrew Norman Wilson,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Son disappeared from public view, licking his wounds while also plotting his comeback.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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However, Archaeology News continues that earlier reports also identified a wooden stool and a cattle hide that did not survive, in fact.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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Many shoppers assume the shine hides spoilage or adds chemicals.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Gabriel Basso headlines the pulse-pounding series.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Feb. 2026
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The journey winds through sweeping turns before plunging into a dramatic 910-degree double helix that spirals into a mine shaft, delivering both heart-pounding excitement and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On the other side of the bracket, top-seed Maple Grove beat Irondale 83-38.—
Pioneer Press,
Twin Cities,
25 Feb. 2026
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The Lakers opened the homestand with wins over Philadelphia and Golden State, lost back-to-back games to Oklahoma City and San Antonio, beat Dallas and the Clippers and then finished it off with losses to Boston and Orlando.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In recent days, the president has remained defiant on the issue, lashing out at the justices for delivering a legal setback on his tariffs, and looking to impose new global tariffs in a different way.—
Ana Ceballos
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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The governor’s office said state highway officials are redeploying road equipment to the South Coast area as the region continues to be lashed by the brunt of the ongoing storm.—
Todd Prussman,
Boston Herald,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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They were instead captured and publicly whipped.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
19 Feb. 2026
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Those who observe Lent will spend the next several Fridays whipping out fish recipes or attending a fish fry and abstaining from eating meat.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, of New York, was arrested on suspicion of pelting two police officers during a snowball fight in Washington Square Park.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Feb. 2026
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Responding to 911 calls of a disorderly crowd jumping from and throwing objects off the bathroom roof, officers were relentlessly pelted with snowballs and ice chunks at close range that landed two in the hospital with head and face injuries.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Duer slapped a single up the middle, but Harrison struckout looking to end the inning.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
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The ruling is a major hit to Trump, who used a novel reading of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, to slap a barrage of tariffs on American trading partners.—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pummel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pummel. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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