as in attacked
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
book reviewers mercilessly savaged his latest novel
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Recent Examples of savaged
In a letter this week to Lassen National Forest Supervisor Rick Hopson, the supervisors noted that their stretch of California has repeatedly been savaged by wildfire.
—
James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The committee’s Democratic members savaged Rubio for diminishing America’s global role; the meeting grew so rancorous that Senator Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho who was Rubio’s closest friend in the Senate, had to repeatedly bang his gavel to bring order.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
The Blue Bag program went ahead despite being savaged by critics for years throughout its planning stages, and was not considered a success when it was scrapped more than a dozen years later for the city's current blue cart program.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Instead, it was largely savaged by critics, crushing for the man at its center.
—Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 18 Dec. 2025
In the book, Giuffre alleges that the pair trafficked her to many powerful men, including a prince and a former prime minister who savaged her.
—Robin Abcarian, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which savaged New Orleans and much of the Gulf region, led to a push to better understand how and why these storms occur, and what agencies could do to better prepare.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 28 Sep. 2025
Not bad for a film that critics savaged.
—David Bloom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Kraven the Hunter—a Marvel standalone movie starring Aaron Taylor Johnson and Russell Crowe—is being savaged by critics.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The committee’s Democratic members savaged Rubio for diminishing America’s global role; the meeting grew so rancorous that Senator Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho who was Rubio’s closest friend in the Senate, had to repeatedly bang his gavel to bring order.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
The Blue Bag program went ahead despite being savaged by critics for years throughout its planning stages, and was not considered a success when it was scrapped more than a dozen years later for the city's current blue cart program.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Instead, it was largely savaged by critics, crushing for the man at its center.
—Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 18 Dec. 2025
In the book, Giuffre alleges that the pair trafficked her to many powerful men, including a prince and a former prime minister who savaged her.
—Robin Abcarian, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which savaged New Orleans and much of the Gulf region, led to a push to better understand how and why these storms occur, and what agencies could do to better prepare.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 28 Sep. 2025
Not bad for a film that critics savaged.
—David Bloom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Kraven the Hunter—a Marvel standalone movie starring Aaron Taylor Johnson and Russell Crowe—is being savaged by critics.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for savaged
Verb
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In a message Monday on X, Sánchez said that so far there were no signs indicating that the plane was attacked by rebel groups that operate near Puerto Leguizamo.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Mar. 2026
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In the early 1980s, in the full flush of revolutionary ardor and against an age-old enemy who had attacked them without provocation, the Iranian people and armed forces fought and suffered for their country.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Authorities say that surveillance footage showed Estimphil getting slammed to the ground and assaulted by the three men charged in the indictment.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
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House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York slammed the plan to deploy ICE agents to airports.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the Commission's chairman, Brendan Carr, scolded Amazon last week, saying the company should focus on its own satellite efforts, rather than criticize SpaceX.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
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In Zambrano’s case, Gee scolded the government over how the detention unfolded.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Savaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/savaged. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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