pummeled

verb

variants also pummelled
past tense of pummel
as in pounded
to strike repeatedly pummeled the mugger with her fists until help arrived

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 pummeled Kyiv has been pummeled by Russian missiles and drones in recent weeks. — Gerard Toal, The Conversation, 27 Oct. 2026 The force of the helicopter blades pummeled the water, whipping up spray and turbulence. — Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026 Russian missiles and drones have pummeled Ukraine’s power grid and other key sites, part of Kremlin efforts to weaken morale and resistance. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Finally, when expectations crested for the Jayhawks, they got pummeled on their home turf. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026 An unusually active hurricane season triggered a trio of storms that pummeled Hawaii and Mexico earlier this year. — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026 Throughout the trial, Sierra’s legal team has focused on brain damage stemming from an accident in which Sierra was pummeled by a car as a child. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 He gets pummeled by waves and rip currents while negotiating the famously difficult shore dive but is soon swimming among brightly colored marine life and undulating kelp forests that filter sunlight from the surface. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026 Despite all the criticism that has pummeled the club since it was found guilty of over 100 charges relating to financial breaches, you could be fooled into thinking nothing was wrong. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pummeled
  1. pounded
  2. licked
  3. lashed
  4. whipped
  5. battered
  6. pelted
  7. attacked
  8. knocked
Verb
  • Kyiv has pounded Russian refineries this year in an effort to cut the revenue the Kremlin collects from energy exports and curtail Moscow's ability to wage war.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The Pistons pounded the inside and scored 24 second-chance points.
    — Dan Gelston, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of pounded
Verb
  • Some wagged their tails as people approached, licked their hands and even liked to be petted.
    — Alida de Flamingh, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Tuxedo kitten Paolina bounced onto my chest and licked my fingers.
    — Solvej Schou, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of licked
Verb
  • Trump lashed out at Pirro over the admission and has continued to claim vandals were to blame.
    — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The snake tried to circle and squeeze, but the rat lashed with her claws and teeth.
    — Madeline ffitch, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of lashed
Verb
  • The Falcons’ starting quarterback twirled a black string around his finger, then violently whipped it down after his first interception.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Brown became the leader of the House Trade Working Group, a caucus of Democratic representatives opposed to free-trade agreements who whipped votes on those deals.
    — Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of whipped
Verb
  • Famous for viral stunts that often leave him bruised, battered, or, in at least one instance, hospitalized, Peters has faced a slew of legal battles while documenting his physical transformation for his more than 2 million followers.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Officials haven’t determined how the sinkhole was formed, but it was likely caused by the unusually strong Hurricane Marie that battered California in early September.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of battered
Verb
  • Rain is most likely to hit in the afternoon, Garcia said, unlike over the weekend when rain pelted the region for hours.
    — Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
  • All of them got here by giant impacts that have pelted Mars for eons, occasionally blasting bits of the planet into space, some of which by chance fall to Earth.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of pelted
Verb
  • Many questions Bukele has billed the rapid buildup as a search-and-rescue operation to find the missing Salvadorans, who were attacked east of Port-au-Prince while returning to camp after a trip to the supermarket.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Kaye spent around $100,000 on dozens of ads in the Hollywood trades, Variety among them, some of which attacked Norton and the studio.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of attacked
Verb
  • Zaina Alsous, the political lead for Unite Here, said her members knocked on 50,000 doors in support of Rodriguez.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Law enforcement knocked on residents' doors the night before, asking questions about the dumpster, according to people who live on the block.
    — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of knocked

Browse Nearby Words

pummel
pummeled
pummeling
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Cite this Entry

“Pummeled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pummeled. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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