as in thrashing
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1
as in smacking
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
remodelers bludgeoned the wall with a sledgehammer to join the two rooms
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in pounding
to strike repeatedly
a boxer bludgeoning his opponent
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bludgeoning
Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
This game was expected to be a taut preview of the gold-medal game but has turned into a bludgeoning.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
To start the bludgeoning, Aledo quickly established the run game in its opening drive with runs of 30 and 44 yards — that set up a 9 yard rushing TD from quarterback Lincoln Tubbs.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Dec. 2025
Bates announced on Wednesday that Lively was sentenced after he was found guilty of first-degree murder for the fatal bludgeoning and stabbing of 68-year-old John Hall III in Northwest Baltimore City.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Now, the foreign visitors are mostly gone, a lack of jet fuel bludgeoning the critical tourism sector.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
The wicketkeeper/batter struggled badly through the tournament and looked shorn of confidence even while bludgeoning his way to an unconvincing 25 off 17 balls at the Wankhede Stadium.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
As the man turns to leave, all of the gates shut, and a bull comes roaring toward the center, bludgeoning the man to death.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026
Between the late evening hours Friday night and early morning Saturday, two teenagers and their 21-year-old friend allegedly conspired and carried out a brutal bludgeoning murder in Fruita.
—The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Denver Post, 25 Nov. 2025
Dennis, 53, was convicted of bludgeoning his ex-girlfriend Timwanika Lumpkins and UM linebacker Marlin Barnes to death with a shotgun in 1996.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 21 Nov. 2025
The statement rattles Abbott enough to let his guard down, which is how Nile gets to be on top of him, bludgeoning his head with the back of Abbott’s own gun after strangling him.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Most historians believe Gunness would first poison her suitors, then finish them with an ax or by bludgeoning — afterward dismembering the corpses and burying what remained.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
Norma Jane Lumpkin, whose long hair hung past her waist, was four decades into a life sentence for her role in the 1981 bludgeoning death of her husband.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
This game was expected to be a taut preview of the gold-medal game but has turned into a bludgeoning.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
To start the bludgeoning, Aledo quickly established the run game in its opening drive with runs of 30 and 44 yards — that set up a 9 yard rushing TD from quarterback Lincoln Tubbs.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Dec. 2025
Bates announced on Wednesday that Lively was sentenced after he was found guilty of first-degree murder for the fatal bludgeoning and stabbing of 68-year-old John Hall III in Northwest Baltimore City.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Verb
The Celtics closed out their final extended road trip of the season by bludgeoning the Bucks, 133-101, at Fiserv Forum.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Now, the foreign visitors are mostly gone, a lack of jet fuel bludgeoning the critical tourism sector.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
The wicketkeeper/batter struggled badly through the tournament and looked shorn of confidence even while bludgeoning his way to an unconvincing 25 off 17 balls at the Wankhede Stadium.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
As the man turns to leave, all of the gates shut, and a bull comes roaring toward the center, bludgeoning the man to death.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026
Between the late evening hours Friday night and early morning Saturday, two teenagers and their 21-year-old friend allegedly conspired and carried out a brutal bludgeoning murder in Fruita.
—The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Denver Post, 25 Nov. 2025
Dennis, 53, was convicted of bludgeoning his ex-girlfriend Timwanika Lumpkins and UM linebacker Marlin Barnes to death with a shotgun in 1996.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 21 Nov. 2025
The statement rattles Abbott enough to let his guard down, which is how Nile gets to be on top of him, bludgeoning his head with the back of Abbott’s own gun after strangling him.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Most historians believe Gunness would first poison her suitors, then finish them with an ax or by bludgeoning — afterward dismembering the corpses and burying what remained.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeoning
Noun
-
Arsenal enters the match as the favorite, but Sporting has been resilient in the Champions League, rebounding from a 3-0 loss to tournament darlings Bodo/Glimt with a 5-0 thrashing in Lisbon.—
Pueng Vongs,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
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His only Champions League goal arrived in January’s 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag, and his only assists in the competition came in similarly comfortable wins over Eintracht Frankfurt and Galatasaray.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The flashes were caused by rocky objects smacking into the lunar surface, and the astronauts’ observations of them caused scientists in Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center to erupt in cheers.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
23 Apr. 2026
-
De Kock smashed eight boundaries and seven sixes and Dhir complemented his South African teammate by smacking three fours and three sixes in the century partnership.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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From tracking down a missing student in the wilderness of British Columbia to extracting a murder confession from a surfer in Tofino, Shade and Angie prove life on the West Coast is packed with heart-pounding thrills.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
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But Ragans shook off the damage and kept pounding the strike zone.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The tap-tap-tap hammering up and down my spine and around my shoulder blades actually soothed me nearly to sleep.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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In non-CinemaCon news, the looksmaxx influencer managed to unite the internets in mocking his dew-eyed meltdown and interview walk-off over being asked modestly difficult questions about his reputation (instead of being asked, say, which moisturizer is best for post-jaw hammering).—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The movie's December 2022 release was largely overshadowed by the aftermath of Smith slapping Chris Rock on stage at that year's Academy Awards.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
This is simply slapping lipstick on a pig and, once again, taking no accountability.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Maximilien, a French national, allegedly uploaded a clip of himself licking a straw from an iJooz vending machine before putting it back in the dispenser.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There’s Cassie licking a melting ice cream cone as the ice cream drips down her bare chest.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The target of our petty president’s latest bashing is Pope Leo XIV, the first American leader of the Catholic Church, who seems to be a guy with Midwestern common sense.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Which seems like the anxiety Chalamet was trying to express with his needless opera bashing.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That passion to play every moment to the hilt, along with her powerful hitting stroke, that came with being a coach’s daughter.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Horner told a false story about hitting the little girl with his van and then strangling her in a panic, according to testimony of the case’s lead investigator, Texas Ranger Job Espinoza.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bludgeoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeoning. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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