as in attacked
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
book reviewers mercilessly savaged his latest novel
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Recent Examples of savaged
One is a recent hit movie, the other a popular but savaged documentary, setting a Rotten Tomatoes record for Netflix.
—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
When Biden considered appointing Susan Davies, a former deputy White House counsel under President Obama, to the Justice Department’s top antitrust post, a slew of articles savaged her as a corporate shill.
—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2026
Though the film included input – and an onscreen role – from the legendary Gene Kelly, it was savaged by critics.
—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Chronic disease programs, in particular, have been savaged, whether those programs have been focused on oral health or tobacco control, to name a few.
—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
30 Mar. 2026
We’ve been dealt a nigh-unbearable hand when two of our communities were utterly savaged by fire.
—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
The crime comedy Gigli (2003) earned little more than 10 percent of its $54 million production costs and was savaged by critics.
—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 Mar. 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
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
When Biden considered appointing Susan Davies, a former deputy White House counsel under President Obama, to the Justice Department’s top antitrust post, a slew of articles savaged her as a corporate shill.
—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2026
Though the film included input – and an onscreen role – from the legendary Gene Kelly, it was savaged by critics.
—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Chronic disease programs, in particular, have been savaged, whether those programs have been focused on oral health or tobacco control, to name a few.
—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
30 Mar. 2026
We’ve been dealt a nigh-unbearable hand when two of our communities were utterly savaged by fire.
—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
The crime comedy Gigli (2003) earned little more than 10 percent of its $54 million production costs and was savaged by critics.
—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 Mar. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for savaged
Verb
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Daga, Berto, Angel, Bronco Nima and Karmen Petrovic attacked El Grande Americano and took off their jackets to reveal their Los Perros del Mal T-shirts.
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The prosecution said the two activists had incited a mob that subsequently attacked a security vehicle, seized the soldier and beat him to death with sticks and bricks.
Verb
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During a press conference in the Panhandle on Tuesday, Collins took off his prosthetic leg and slammed it on the podium in response to a question from a reporter.
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But Republican rival Steve Hilton slammed the group for political opportunism.
Verb
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This time, however, Charlotte promptly scolded him for his untoward behavior.
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Four years ago, Infantino scolded critics during a news conference ahead of the opener in Qatar.
Cite this Entry
“Savaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/savaged. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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