as in licked
to strike repeatedly
the mob boss's thugs really worked him over
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Recent Examples of worked over
Bradley worked over a pair of walks in the first inning, getting out unscathed.
—
Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 31 Aug. 2025
White worked over the paragraph a third time, and telegraphed it to the magazine.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2025
Sikoa worked over Zayn, even slamming him with the Spinning Solo for a nearfall.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 31 Aug. 2025
White worked over the paragraph a third time, and telegraphed it to the magazine.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2025
Sikoa worked over Zayn, even slamming him with the Spinning Solo for a nearfall.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worked over
Verb
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The afternoon sun licked the windscreen of the car, and the heat boiled my skin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
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Paul Volcker, the chair of the Federal Reserve at the time, had licked inflation, and the stock market was rising after seventeen years of going sideways.—
L. David Marquet,
Big Think,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Predictably, there’s lots of fighting in The Smashing Machine, including plenty of that knee-to-the-face business, though the sound design is often more disturbing than the visuals; the sound of flesh giving way as it’s being pounded like a piece of meat just feels inhumane.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
1 Sep. 2025
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In recent days, Israel pounded Gaza City, while strikes killed Hamas’ military spokesperson and the Houthis’ prime minister in Yemen.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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These two hurricanes come after Hurricane Erin lashed North Carolina's Outer Banks with rough waves and coastal flooding last month.—
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
4 Sep. 2025
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Some liberal commentators, however, have lashed out in response to the shooting, saying calls for prayer are tone deaf responses given the victims were inside a church.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The actress whipped out some ballerina dance moves to ensure each pair was still comfortable enough for any and all activities.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
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This mordant delight — about two young men who befriend one another in a support group for people who’ve lost a twin — whipped the Eccles theater into a frenzy with its cuttingly dark laughs and unexpected plot twists.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday, nor did HUD officials.—
Lizzie Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
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The two men then said Smollett paid them to stage the attack, and Smollett was charged with filing a false police report; the charges were later dropped after Smollett paid a fine and did community service.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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When the financial crisis hit in 2008, Mindy Fitzpatrick considered selling her family’s 6-acre wooded lot on Friendly Road.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
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Sticker shock, though, is expected to hit when consumers shop for 2026 model year cars and trucks as more of those vehicles arrive at dealer lots, according to Cox Automotive.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the suburbs during the 2020 and 2022 assessment cycles, appeals to the board of review generally knocked commercial values below industry standards for accuracy.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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The boys knocked on Leon’s door several times and ran away, Julián’s cousin told police.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Tonges, who before Sunday’s game had never caught a regular-season pass, attacked the ball and gave San Francisco the lead.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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The occurrences grew more aggressive over time, with the Smurls' 75-pound German shepherd getting slammed into a wall and Jack getting attacked while praying.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Worked over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worked%20over. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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