as in thrashing
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in abusing
to abuse physically
demonstrators who claimed that they had been mauled by the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in licking
to strike repeatedly
the irate store owner was mauling the shoplifter when the police showed up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mauling
Mike Defabo, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Seth Michael Plant, 30, died after a bear mauling that occurred during training, according to a Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson news release.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
These were claps of relief and encouragement from a European audience bracing for a mauling like JD Vance’s onslaught last year.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Fresh from his online mauling at the hands of Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, the world’s richest man can take some consolation.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Feb. 2026
Jacqueline Durand was 22 and a student at the University of Texas at Dallas when the mauling occurred in December 2021.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Both tragedies unfolded in rural Northern California, with the fatal lion mauling occurring in El Dorado County.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … SNAP ATTACK – Skier suffers brutal mauling after stepping within 10 feet of snow leopard for photo.
—FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
There isn’t a Joe Alt or Penei Sewell in this draft class, but Mauigoa, a former five-star recruit, is big (6-6, 315), powerful, athletic and plays with a mauling mentality at the tackle position.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
City enters Week 2 of the new campaign as Premier League leader after mauling its way to a 4-0 win over Wolves on opening weekend.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Noun
To close out a busy Day 2, the Steelers selected a mauling guard with a mullet, who will come to a city where that haircut never went out of style.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Seth Michael Plant, 30, died after a bear mauling that occurred during training, according to a Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson news release.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
These were claps of relief and encouragement from a European audience bracing for a mauling like JD Vance’s onslaught last year.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Fresh from his online mauling at the hands of Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, the world’s richest man can take some consolation.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Feb. 2026
Jacqueline Durand was 22 and a student at the University of Texas at Dallas when the mauling occurred in December 2021.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Both tragedies unfolded in rural Northern California, with the fatal lion mauling occurring in El Dorado County.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … SNAP ATTACK – Skier suffers brutal mauling after stepping within 10 feet of snow leopard for photo.
—FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
There isn’t a Joe Alt or Penei Sewell in this draft class, but Mauigoa, a former five-star recruit, is big (6-6, 315), powerful, athletic and plays with a mauling mentality at the tackle position.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
Or left tackle Theo Benedet pulling into the open field in Cincinnati, sprinting well beyond the line of scrimmage, starting his block on Geno Stone 4 yards from the sideline, then mauling the Bengals safety within inches of a bench.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
City enters Week 2 of the new campaign as Premier League leader after mauling its way to a 4-0 win over Wolves on opening weekend.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mauling
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
-
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 White House declined to comment on the allegations against former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who stepped down last week after multiple allegations of abusing her position’s power, including having an affair with a subordinate and drinking alcohol on the job.—
Ana Ceballos
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Under the plan, FISA, which allows warrantless wiretapping of noncitizens, would be extended for three years, with new oversight guardrails and penalties for abusing the spy tool.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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 Kings have prioritized defense for most of the past two decades, often playing a sticky, trapping style that doesn’t promote offensive creativity or attack.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
-
Severe is the second-highest rung on a five-point scale and means intelligence agencies consider an attack highly likely in the next six months.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Winger Xavi Simons’ anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury will keep him out for some time, with striker Dominic Solanke also pulling up — albeit his ailment appears less serious — at Molineux to cast doubt over Spurs’ attacking firepower in the upcoming weeks.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
He was also found guilty of two counts of assault for attacking two other men with butcher knives.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
But Ragans shook off the damage and kept pounding the strike zone.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The assault killed at least seventeen people, including a twelve-year-old boy, wounded dozens, and destroyed buildings.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Allen will be arraigned Monday on charges, including assault of a federal officer and discharging a firearm in an attempt to kill a federal officer.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But this year’s edition could be the best one yet, and the Wolverines will get a chance to prove that next week in Indianapolis after manhandling Tennessee 95-62 yesterday at the United Center to clinch a spot in the Final Four.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Illini literally soaked in the celebration Thursday night after manhandling hometown favorite Houston to advance to the Elite 8 for the second time in three years.—
Ryan Baker,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mauling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mauling. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
