as in attacking
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
book reviewers mercilessly savaged his latest novel
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for savaging
Verb
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The demonstrations intensified after a federal officer shot a Venezuelan man accused of fleeing a traffic stop and attacking an agent, federal officials said.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
16 Jan. 2026 -
After officers reached the person, two other people arrived from a nearby apartment and all three started attacking the officer, according to DHS.—
Steve Karnowski,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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He was placed in concussion protocol Monday night after slamming his head against the turf in the team's win over the Steelers.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
14 Jan. 2026
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Brown said, noting that the officer slung his rifle around his back before grabbing and body-slamming the protester.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But more recently, groups of citizens have grown tired of scolding and have begun reaching for the birch rod.—
Nick Bowlin,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
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But acknowledging, or god forbid, scolding the internet for laughing at Kirk would only give it all more power.—
Ryan Broderick,
Rolling Stone,
24 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Savaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/savaging. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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