variants
also pummelling
as in thrashing
Related Words
Relevance
variants
also pummelling
as in pounding
to strike repeatedly
pummeled the mugger with her fists until help arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 pummeling
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
The signature chi massage is based around meridian lines—a questionnaire determines which is most suitable for you—and the company’s bespoke oils are used in the massage, which is good, although maybe not one for those requiring serious pummelling.
—Jemima Sissons, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
His bandmates, naturally, summon apocalyptic cacophonies of gut-rattling guitar-riff fuselage and pummeling drumming.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2026
The electric vehicle industry has taken a pummeling this year.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 29 Dec. 2025
In its long history as the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies, the town has faced fires, maritime tragedies, and wild winter storms with lashing winds and pummeling rain.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2025
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026
That’s precisely what the Hornets did in Brooklyn on Tuesday night, pummeling the Nets 117-86 at Barclays Center to halt a two-game losing streak at the hands of Philadelphia and Boston over the weekend.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Miami got off to a 1-6 start because every NFL team was pummeling the Dolphins on the ground.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Through a mix of orders, shaming, and a whole lot of banging of the gavel, the octogenarian managed to avoid a nightmare scenario of one of his colleagues pummeling a witness.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Caught on camera, the violent altercation involved multiple suspects pummeling a man while allegedly hurling religious slurs.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Even the moderators of fan accounts have had to contend with cascade of attention constantly pummeling the show and its stars — and not all of it has been positive.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Oil prices spiked near $120 per barrel before falling back Monday as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East and pummeling financial markets.
—Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Oil prices continued to soar on Monday as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East and pummeling financial markets.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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
The signature chi massage is based around meridian lines—a questionnaire determines which is most suitable for you—and the company’s bespoke oils are used in the massage, which is good, although maybe not one for those requiring serious pummelling.
—Jemima Sissons, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
His bandmates, naturally, summon apocalyptic cacophonies of gut-rattling guitar-riff fuselage and pummeling drumming.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2026
The electric vehicle industry has taken a pummeling this year.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 29 Dec. 2025
In its long history as the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies, the town has faced fires, maritime tragedies, and wild winter storms with lashing winds and pummeling rain.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2025
Verb
The report notes that a big increase in supply is pummeling the south and west.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026
That’s precisely what the Hornets did in Brooklyn on Tuesday night, pummeling the Nets 117-86 at Barclays Center to halt a two-game losing streak at the hands of Philadelphia and Boston over the weekend.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Miami got off to a 1-6 start because every NFL team was pummeling the Dolphins on the ground.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Through a mix of orders, shaming, and a whole lot of banging of the gavel, the octogenarian managed to avoid a nightmare scenario of one of his colleagues pummeling a witness.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Caught on camera, the violent altercation involved multiple suspects pummeling a man while allegedly hurling religious slurs.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Even the moderators of fan accounts have had to contend with cascade of attention constantly pummeling the show and its stars — and not all of it has been positive.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Oil prices spiked near $120 per barrel before falling back Monday as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East and pummeling financial markets.
—Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Oil prices continued to soar on Monday as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East and pummeling financial markets.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pummeling
Noun
-
His only Champions League goal arrived in January’s 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag, and his only assists in the competition came in similarly comfortable wins over Eintracht Frankfurt and Galatasaray.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Wild video captured the moment a young fisherman plunged into pounding Southern California surf to wrestle a thrashing shark and free it from his fishing line.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tornado sirens, cell phone alerts, high winds and pounding rain woke up Michigan residents as severe weather pushed through the state overnight Tuesday.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Visitors can enjoy heart-pounding adventures like zip lining through the forest canopy, rock climbing on the gorge’s steep cliffs, and whitewater rafting on the New River’s epic Class I to V rapids.—
Jordan Charbonneau,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
An abduction sequence ties the audience’s nerves in knots with cinematographer Isaac Bauman’s athletic tracking shot loping up the stairs to Margot’s apartment accompanied by Gavin Brivik’s pulse-hammering score.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Yes, Super Mario Galaxy Movie will have all the hammering power of Imax and PLF screens.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Both have walked away from battles licking their wounds.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Five caribou stood licking at the stain.—
Frank Glaser,
Outdoor Life,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The target of our petty president’s latest bashing is Pope Leo XIV, the first American leader of the Catholic Church, who seems to be a guy with Midwestern common sense.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Which seems like the anxiety Chalamet was trying to express with his needless opera bashing.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Things are not going well at the moment, so the president is lashing out.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
-
After lashing out at Morgan for suggesting that Lucia was a suspect, Karadec shows up at Morgan’s front door to apologize, leading to a tearful heart-to-heart between the partners.—
Max Gao,
Variety,
8 Apr. 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
-
Clavicular was arrested last month on battery charges out of Florida, after a 19-year-old woman accused a 24-year-old woman of battering her in a home that was rented by the influencer.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Coastal cities are dealing with more erosion from sea-level rise due to climate change, Griggs added, and the battering from bigger storms is another impact.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pummeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pummeling. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
