as in punches
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
in the eighth round he delivered a stinger that knocked his opponent flat
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of stingers
Stingless bees lack stingers and differ sharply from European honeybees.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Dec. 2025
Despite their name, stingless bees do have stingers; however, they are not designed for defense.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
The stingers they are equipped with can be up to about a quarter-inch (6 mm) in length and inject a painful venom – which is stored in large quantities in their abdomens – into their victims.
—New Atlas, 5 Dec. 2025
One trial, in Brazil, involved donning a pair of gloves sewn with bullet ants, their stingers facing inward.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 5 Oct. 2025
Due to their size, their stingers on their tentacles are much too small to sting larger organisms.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 4 Sep. 2025
While both male and female tarantula wasps have similar coloration, only the females have stingers.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Dec. 2025
Despite their name, stingless bees do have stingers; however, they are not designed for defense.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
The stingers they are equipped with can be up to about a quarter-inch (6 mm) in length and inject a painful venom – which is stored in large quantities in their abdomens – into their victims.
—New Atlas, 5 Dec. 2025
One trial, in Brazil, involved donning a pair of gloves sewn with bullet ants, their stingers facing inward.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 5 Oct. 2025
Due to their size, their stingers on their tentacles are much too small to sting larger organisms.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 4 Sep. 2025
While both male and female tarantula wasps have similar coloration, only the females have stingers.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stingers
Noun
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Amazon Prime miniseries run the gamut from psychological thrillers to nostalgic melodramas, proving short-form television can trade punches without overstaying their welcome.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
-
As the discovery process approaches neither side is pulling punches.—
John Hyatt,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
My father had said to me, My heart hurt more than my body—the flesh can take blows, the heart suffers them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
However, that good news comes after Johnson suffered political blows from an obstinate City Council opposition over the recent budget, on top of other losses for his progressive agenda.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There were, like, broad clothing swipes, like, someone maybe was trying to destroy fingerprints.—
Sarah Prior,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
After a few fateful swipes, everyone’s lives begin to change.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
His films have premiered at Venice, Toronto, Sundance and Berlinale, with several becoming record-breaking hits locally.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The disparate components are bound by hefty percussion hits and an angelic vocal sample that sounds like trying to remember a distant memory.—
Rae-Aila Crumble,
Pitchfork,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Knead dough gently until nearly smooth, 10 to 12 strokes.—
Jenavieve Christensen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The junior notched 10 goals and seven assists this year, and was 3-for-3 on penalty strokes.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Europe has long underspent on defense, and where American cajoling for decades had not worked, a few face slaps succeeded.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
-
Expect the date nights to keep coming—Rocky’s album slaps, and the Rih-Rocky couples style moments match the vibe and more.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Eventually a team from TPWD arrived with a tanker truck to carry the fish back to the Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, where all the Legacy Lunkers (largemouth bass weighing 14 pounds or more) are brought to carry on the state’s selective breeding program.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
29 Jan. 2026
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For me, at six-foot-one and 170 pounds, the seats bridged an acceptable middle ground between stiff and supportive.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Deeper down the road the slap of the drooping tropical tree branches against the windshield are like punishing whacks to the face for trying to force a metaphor.—
Matt Negrin,
Rolling Stone,
20 Sep. 2025
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Brush off hair and debris from the surface, then give it a few whacks against the inside of the trash can to knock out some of the dust.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stingers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stingers. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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