Thesaurus results for BATTER

Q: How does the verb 'batter' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of batter are cripple , maim , mangle , and mutilate . While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate. // an old ship battered by fierce storms

Q: When is 'cripple' a more appropriate choice than 'batter'?

The synonyms cripple and batter are sometimes interchangeable, but cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg. // crippled for life in an accident

Q: When can 'maim' be used instead of 'batter'?

While in some cases nearly identical to batter , maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence. // maimed by a shark

Q: When is it sensible to use 'mangle' instead of 'batter'?

In some situations, the words mangle and batter are roughly equivalent. However, mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds. // a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

Q: In what contexts can 'mutilate' take the place of 'batter'?

Although the words mutilate and batter have much in common, mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function. // a tree mutilated by inept pruning

batter

verb

ˈba-tər

Definition of batter

as in to lick

to strike repeatedly children battered the piñata until it broke open

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to bomb

to use bombs or artillery against planes battered the city for weeks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb batter contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of batter are cripple, maim, mangle, and mutilate. While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate.

an old ship battered by fierce storms

When is cripple a more appropriate choice than batter?

The synonyms cripple and batter are sometimes interchangeable, but cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg.

crippled for life in an accident

When can maim be used instead of batter?

While in some cases nearly identical to batter, maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence.

maimed by a shark

When is it sensible to use mangle instead of batter?

In some situations, the words mangle and batter are roughly equivalent. However, mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds.

a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

In what contexts can mutilate take the place of batter?

Although the words mutilate and batter have much in common, mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function.

a tree mutilated by inept pruning

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 batter One time a few years back, Perez dropped the hammer and battered a big hole in a frozen creek near a cornfield, then hung a tree stand on the east side of it. — Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026 The storm battered the coast with unusually large waves, which tore apart a boardwalk and smashed into homes in Long Beach. — CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 Wind, rain, and unusually large waves caused by Rachel battered the Southern California coast over the weekend, forcing oceanside residents in Long Beach to evacuate. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 The region is still at risk of flash floods as the storm's remnants were expected to continue dumping rain and bringing wind gusts through the weekend, the weather service said, adding that high surf would continue battering coastal communities. — Adrian Florido, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for batter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for batter

Verb

Popo would lick her cone ever so gracefully, never dripping or messing up the lining of her magenta lipstick.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Teams have to be licking their chops after seeing what Tampa Bay did to Dallas last Thursday night, especially considering the defense (or lack thereof) that the Cowboys have shown through five weeks.

— Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of lick

Verb

In an interview with Inside Edition on Tuesday, store owner Adam Rubin said that his store has been review-bombed since Clarkson took to social media and named the store, and employees and surrounding businesses have been harassed.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
The Houthis bombed the corporate HQ of Saudi Aramco in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, officials said.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of bomb

Verb

When Louise would remember the show decades later, the audience was always so electric that the room exploded into stamping feet and pounding fists.

— Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Ukraine briefly halted such attacks, but has since resumed them — while Russia never stopped pounding Ukraine’s energy plants and cities.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of pound

Verb

Most of the students were accused of minor offenses, like making threats, using cannabis vapes or lashing out at classmates or teachers, the analysis found.

— Kristian Hernández, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Oct. 2026
More students ages 10 to 13 are ending up in the justice system after vaping, making threats and lashing out at school.

— Rosie Cima, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of lash

Verb

In the third inning, and again in the fifth inning, Tommy Edman comes to bat with Miguel Rojas on first base, none out, and the Dodgers trailing, 1-0.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Shohei Ohtani reached base three times while batting sixth for the Dodgers, first on a hit by pitch in his second at-bat and again with a single.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of bat

Verb

Now imagine whipping your phone out after work, telling the world about it, and landing a brand deal worth $10K or more.

— Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
Now imagine the same hot and dry conditions, but with the Santa Anas whipping at 40 miles an hour.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of whip

Verb

In an indirect prompt injection, an attacker hides instructions in content an AI agent will come across while doing a task—a web page or a forum post, for instance—hoping to hijack the agent.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Many senior Democrats blamed her, along with the rest of the family and his close aides, for hiding his condition.

— Azadeh Moaveni, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of hide

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“Batter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/batter. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of batter

verb

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