variants
also pummelling
as in thrashing
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variants
also pummelling
as in pounding
to strike repeatedly
pummeled the mugger with her fists until help arrived
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Recent Examples of pummeling
Bhumika Tharoor, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
This spiritual, emotional, and physical reset is a million miles away from the hormone pummeling of current weight-loss drugs, and the aughts’ detox ethos.
—Jane Alexander, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 May 2026
The increasingly gruesome pummelling continues, cross-cutting with Cassie’s discussion with Naz (Jack Topalian), calmly eating pie on the couch, about what this means to her, and how her wedding was supposed to be the best day of her life.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026
Of course, Flextail didn't curl up, back into a corner and submit to a pummeling, counterpunching with its own tiny 1-oz inflator just a couple months later.
—New Atlas, 20 Apr. 2026
On April 8, 2025, Wrobleski endured an eight-run pummeling by the Washington Nationals and was immediately sent down to triple-A Oklahoma City.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
In early February, at an Airbnb Peters was renting near Orlando, Peters’ girlfriend, Violet Lentz, got into a shouting, shoving and pummeling match with another woman, while Peters posted the conflict to social media, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Stout, bluesy guitar and a pummeling rhythm lead to McBryde turning in a ferocious, fearless vocal, singing about a litany of vices and urges that stay steeped her bloodline.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2026
Through punches and pummeling, cheating and cursing, their bond remained (mostly) intact.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
ABC News, 11 June 2026
With a pummelling rhythm and howling guitar, the new song from fata morgana makes a desperate race against the doom loop.
—Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 10 June 2026
Protests outside the gates have shown activists pummeling cars, impeding the exits and in some cases getting hurled out of the way after collisions with vehicles attempting to speed away from the violent activists.
—Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026
In keeping with the show’s defiance of mortality, Lee and Lifeson seemed to have almost aged in reverse since 2015, with Lifeson notably trimmer and musically nimble, and Lee pummeling his bass while skipping around the stage faster than any 72-year-old should be able to manage.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026
In his first at-bat Tuesday night, Betts fell behind 0-2 to Rockies starter Kyle Freeland before pummeling a heater in the zone to center field for a two-run blast.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Surging food costs and fuel prices are pummeling Maine's struggling groundfishing industry.
—Joe Hernandez, NPR, 23 May 2026
Now 46, the singer draws inspiration from the music that inspired her, name-checking Prince and the Gap Band, for a spate of upbeat tunes dotted by glittery synths, pummeling 808s and plucky bass notes.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 19 May 2026
Former health and human services secretary Xavier Becerra recently nodded to reality on health care, and his Democratic rivals for California governor are pummeling him for it.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 18 May 2026
Noun
As violent as these bouts get, fighters agree to honor the rules, even mid-pummeling.
—Bhumika Tharoor, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
This spiritual, emotional, and physical reset is a million miles away from the hormone pummeling of current weight-loss drugs, and the aughts’ detox ethos.
—Jane Alexander, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 May 2026
The increasingly gruesome pummelling continues, cross-cutting with Cassie’s discussion with Naz (Jack Topalian), calmly eating pie on the couch, about what this means to her, and how her wedding was supposed to be the best day of her life.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026
Of course, Flextail didn't curl up, back into a corner and submit to a pummeling, counterpunching with its own tiny 1-oz inflator just a couple months later.
—New Atlas, 20 Apr. 2026
On April 8, 2025, Wrobleski endured an eight-run pummeling by the Washington Nationals and was immediately sent down to triple-A Oklahoma City.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
In early February, at an Airbnb Peters was renting near Orlando, Peters’ girlfriend, Violet Lentz, got into a shouting, shoving and pummeling match with another woman, while Peters posted the conflict to social media, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Stout, bluesy guitar and a pummeling rhythm lead to McBryde turning in a ferocious, fearless vocal, singing about a litany of vices and urges that stay steeped her bloodline.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2026
Through punches and pummeling, cheating and cursing, their bond remained (mostly) intact.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
All of it will be accentuated by swirling spotlights, and perhaps even sweat and blood pouring off the fighters pummeling each other.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
With a pummelling rhythm and howling guitar, the new song from fata morgana makes a desperate race against the doom loop.
—Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 10 June 2026
Protests outside the gates have shown activists pummeling cars, impeding the exits and in some cases getting hurled out of the way after collisions with vehicles attempting to speed away from the violent activists.
—Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026
In keeping with the show’s defiance of mortality, Lee and Lifeson seemed to have almost aged in reverse since 2015, with Lifeson notably trimmer and musically nimble, and Lee pummeling his bass while skipping around the stage faster than any 72-year-old should be able to manage.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026
In his first at-bat Tuesday night, Betts fell behind 0-2 to Rockies starter Kyle Freeland before pummeling a heater in the zone to center field for a two-run blast.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Surging food costs and fuel prices are pummeling Maine's struggling groundfishing industry.
—Joe Hernandez, NPR, 23 May 2026
Now 46, the singer draws inspiration from the music that inspired her, name-checking Prince and the Gap Band, for a spate of upbeat tunes dotted by glittery synths, pummeling 808s and plucky bass notes.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 19 May 2026
Former health and human services secretary Xavier Becerra recently nodded to reality on health care, and his Democratic rivals for California governor are pummeling him for it.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 18 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pummeling
Noun
-
Thursday’s 118-91 thrashing, though, invited more than a Game 7.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
The Fever, perhaps more terribly potent with each passing day, is a two-hour spiral into the thrashing, slowly awakening soul of a Good Middle-Class Liberal.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
When the worker said yes, there followed a cacophony of voices, radios, and pounding boots as police stormed the property.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
One of my favorite side dishes starts by rehydrating them, then pounding them in a mortar and pestle to release all that concentrated flavor.—
Julie Lin,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Once the roads open and the Miura’s tachometer sweeps past 4,000 rpm, your ears are nourished by a cultured snarl that builds to a hammering roar.—
Tim Pitt,
Robb Report,
18 May 2026
-
Wrexham were fourth bottom of the fledgling table after the third of those three losses, a 3-1 hammering by Queens Park Rangers.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
That licking instinct may have led Jacobs’s elk to an area known as Flag Swamp, a one-acre wetland filled with blue flag irises and shrubby willow trees.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
Finally, monitor pets for behavioral changes, as pets may experience pain, licking or chewing at a wound, loss of appetite and lethargy.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Whether the bashing has any immediate political implications for the lawmakers remains to be seen.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
But more recently, Japan-bashing has become the core of a strident Chinese nationalism, with disastrous consequences.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Lately, though, the president has upset religious conservatives by posting a Christ-like image of himself online as well as lashing out at Pope Leo and the Vatican.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
Iran’s lashing out at Israel for the sake of Hezbollah carries major risks.—
Sam Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Norma Jane Lumpkin, whose long hair hung past her waist, was four decades into a life sentence for her role in the 1981 bludgeoning death of her husband.—
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
-
This game was expected to be a taut preview of the gold-medal game but has turned into a bludgeoning.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The search for a teenage girl swept away by a big wave while walking on a Southern California beach expanded Wednesday as high surf kept battering the coast.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
-
Prosecutors declined to file charges and Saenz was later granted a permanent restraining order against that ex-boyfriend, according to court records, after he was convicted of battering and strangling her.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pummeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pummeling. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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